


Fish in the Sea

by Graun_en_Skai



Category: The 100 (TV)
Genre: Endgame, Endgame Clarke Griffin/Lexa, Eventual Smut, F/F, Fishing, Fluff and Angst, Modern Era, Sexual Tension, Slow Build
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-12-27
Updated: 2019-01-22
Packaged: 2019-09-28 11:58:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 22,881
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17182556
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Graun_en_Skai/pseuds/Graun_en_Skai
Summary: Lexa is one of the toughest fisherman in Bristol Bay, Alaska and starts falling for the captain of the SkaiPrisa, the top tender in Bristol Bay. Tensions are high during the Northern salmon season and only get higher when Lexa and Clarke have to travel around the Alaskan peninsula together from Bristol Bay to Valdez. There are a few side plot lines with Anya and Raven, Echo and Bellamy, and Octavia and Lincoln, but so far, I haven't really developed them. (Chapter two or three will have smut.)AKA: More than you probably ever wanted to know about commercial fishing and some sexual tension that amps up when we trap our heroines in a confined space for ten days.





	1. Chapter One: Welcome to the Bay

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to Bristol Bay, Clexa style.

Lexa spun the small wheel until it crashed against the buffer, the 32ft gillnetter was banking right and she was in perfect position to cut off the other captain and take the line.

“Drop, drop, get the net out! If you don’t get the damn net out, we’re gonna loose the line!” Lexa barked to her crew.

“We’re dropping, just keep driving.” Anya shouted back.

“Fuck, you almost took out their bow, just in case you forgot, that would take out ours.” Echo shouted at Lexa.

“I’ve got it, just drop.” Lexa said as she got the position and the two crew members began to wheel out the cork and lead lines. The cork line landed in front of the other ships’ and they get enough of the line out to hold the front position at the mouth of the Naknek River. People came from all over the world to fish in Bristol Bay for the summer Salmon run and Lexa was one of the best captains on the water.

Lexa was hoping to maintain the line and lay a full net, but she got corked off with fifteen feet remaining and had to turn back into the river. Anya reengaged the hydraulics and they began puling the net back in. Anya and Echo picked the salmon from the net as quick as possible and began filling the brailer bags below deck as the RSW system started chilling the fish to prevent bruising of the meat.

“We need to stop at the tender, we’ll be full with this set.”

Lexa navigated away from the line and towards where the tenders waited just up river. They began pulling up to the port side of the tender, Echo raced to the bow at the last minute to catch the line from the raven-haired deckhand while Anya hung off the stern and lassoed the aft cleat to bring the boat in smoothly. The weather was fair but with the West wind picking up, the small whitecaps from this morning were growing quickly. Waves now were only a few feet, but it was enough that the boat bounced against the giant construction tires that were chained to the sides of the tender.

The tender was 98-foot former transport and could carry about 250,000lbs, so they were not the largest in the fleet, but they were the quickest and shallow on the draw so they could get closer to the fisherman than the other tenders. Their ran a station on each side and even with just the two cranes, they were able to complete with the four crane tenders because of their crew’s efficiency. The SkaiPrisa was the star of the tendermen in Bristol and the company had fought hard to get them to switch over from Icicle.

Lexa raced back to start looping the brailer bags with the pelican hooks and getting them ready to be picked by the tender’s crane. The raven-haired woman from the bow manned her crane and lowered the hook to Lexa’s raised hand.

Echo and Anya went back to make sure the net was clear and out of the way. Anya and Echo had filled the last bags while Lexa had been sending bag after bag over. Anya signaled to Lexa that the net was clear, so Lexa laid the pelican hooks next to the hydraulic wheel and climbed back to the steering. Echo climbed to the bow, ready to loose the bow line as soon as the last weights were called out. Anya attached the last bags and shook the giant metal hook to wiggle the bags out of the hold as they were lifted above the rail and over to the deck of the tender.

“1245 the deck hand called out.” Lexa liked the SkaiPrisa. She had gotten use to them in the early parts of the season and liked the way they worked. They gave good weights that were fair, even in foul weather and tracked accurately. She didn’t have to keep a tally when they off loaded here, unlike working with the Ark or F Station. 

Lexa was pulling the Heda away from the tender and the deck hand tied off all their brailer bags together and sent them back on the pelican. Anya tripped the pelican and dropped the collection of empty bags to the back deck. Anya hung them over to get rid of the residue, so she and Echo could begin relining the holds. Echo had loosed the bow line and leaned over to grab the tally sheet from the raven-haired woman and shoved the receipt into the pocket of her hoodie under her Grunden’s overalls.

“Twelve double picks totaling 23,657, that was great!” Echo shouted.

Lexa pulled away from the tender and started heading back to the front lines. “We’ve got another 45 minutes left in the opener and have time to get another set in if we move fast.”

The holds were lined, and so Echo began working the net and setting up the deck to drop again while Anya made a stop inside. Anya reemerged a few minutes later and tossed a cheese and blackberry jam sandwich up to Lexa and gave Anya a PB&J. They all scarfed their sandwiches before readying themselves once again.

Lexa cut to the front of the line as soon as the net was ready. They laid out their net and knew it would be the last set of the afternoon. The two women moved as fast as they could, and Lexa watched the water to find the perfect spot.

The peak season had just started and the women had been working two days on and two days off for the past week. All of them were exhausted and looking forward to sleeping and having a meal. Escapement was getting close to their goal and so it was likely after this closed period that the season would be in full swing and they would fish solidly for the next week or two.

The boat had done well so far and with the breaks, the women had kept their weight up and been able to sleep regularly, so attitudes were good.

Lexa had grown up fishing and for her grandmother Indra but knew if she ever wanted to be taken seriously, she would have to gain experience working for someone else, so at thirteen, she found another captain to take her on. Lexa had worked harder than the other crewmembers and learned as much as she could for the next five years, but it wasn’t going to be enough for Lexa to just be good.

When Lexa turned 18, her Captain had connected her to a job on the Azgeda, working for the most competitive captain in the Bay, Nia Queen. She was often called the ice queen because she ran her ship without emotion and it showed in her numbers. She had offered Lexa the cut of a greenhorn and demanded more of Lexa than any other captain would.

Lexa went to school in the off season and had earned her bachelors degree in two years. She had studied engineering at UC Berkeley with a specialization in diesel mechanics. Lexa took a variety of trade classes on the side to equip her for when she became Captain of her own ship. Lexa learned to weld, celestial navigation, and took cartography courses.

Lexa pushed herself working for Nia aboard the Azgeda and they put up even bigger numbers than before. They were the top boat in the fleet and Lexa made enough in three years to purchase her own gillnetter. Nia had talked to Lexa about upping her cut to keep her aboard for another couple years with the understanding that she would transfer Lexa her permits for the North Season and Southeast Season. Lexa had agreed to stay on for two years.

The first year, Nia brought along her daughter Ontari to learn the trade. Lexa taught Ontari as much as she could in a year and Ontari was good, but she was still a greenhorn. The second year, Lexa had stayed in Southeast to work on her boat, now that she was done with school in California. She had purchased a ten-year-old forward cabin gillnetter with broken hydraulics and RSW, the Heda. Lexa knew what she was getting into and liked that the old skipper she had purchased the ship from was open about what she was getting. He had even helped her get all the parts for the repairs and worked with her on the cosmetic upgrades that he was able to do. Lexa worked from crab season to May when she needed to head North to meet Ontari and Nia. She worked as hard as ever and the season was a huge success.

Everything came crashing in on Lexa in the Fall when she asked Nia to transfer the permits to her and Nia had informed Lexa that she was going to keep the permits attached to the Azgeda and left them for Ontari. Lexa was furious not only because of the betrayal, but also because she had lost out on the next season because it was too late to enter the lottery to purchase a new permit. Nia had cost Lexa her first year as a Captain. Lexa called up her crew and had to break the bad news to Anya and Echo.

Echo had worked for Nia before and was open about her plans to continue on with Lexa when Nia retired. It surprised them when they got the call and the women had to scramble to find other jobs for the next year.

Lexa was able to purchase a permit from another captain the year following but couldn’t get a permit for the Egegik river and settled for Naknek. Lexa, Anya, and Echo had been fishing Naknek for three years together and completed the season in Southeast with Indra aboard the seiner, Trikru. Indra was getting older, and she knew that her time was coming up where she would begin to remain in Southeast and forgo the harshness of the Bay and the North season. Her daughter Gaia was a hard worker and the group respected her as they did Indra. Gaia, Indra’s youngest daughter, was only ten years older than Lexa and had grown up with her father on the East coast, but when Gaia came to join them her first year, she made a name for herself.

 

Over the years, Lexa, Anya, and Echo a groove that allowed them to work as a three-person crew, which few gillnetters did. Almost all the others carried four or even five people, but they not only made more money with three, but they had more space, and space was the most precious commodity aboard a thirty-two-foot boat that you lived aboard for forty days with no privacy.

When they had picked their last set, the women returned to the tender and dropped their fish. Their short set had yielded just a few thousand pounds of reds, but that is as much as some of her competitors caught for the day if they never fought for the line.

The women cleaned and sanitized the deck, storing the equipment and getting ready to check the net while Lexa guided them over to their group. The Heda was part of a four-boat group that fished together and shared moderate resources. The other captains included Indra, Gustus, and Nyko. They would anchor up each day together and call to each other on the radio if they found a successful spot in the river to give them the best advantage.

Indra’s crew always included Gaia and then often two young people from her island in Southeast who she would try out to work for a crew led by Gaia or she would pick up from a seiner the year before. There was never a shortage of people ready to participate in the Northern fishing season, but there was always a shortage of quality people who could handle the intensity of the work as well as the mental taxation of never having privacy or anywhere to go.

Nyko was Indra’s half-brother and Lexa considered Lincoln family because he had practically grown up on the fishing boats, same as Lexa. Nyko had two other crewmen from up North who had worked as quality control the year before. Gusuts had his longtime crewman, Mo, Ilian, and Alex who had been with him for a few years now and had proven themselves reliable.

All the captains and longtime members of the group had started working on Indra’s boat, and they were like family. They tied up four wide up river and all appreciated the different company. When Lexa was satisfied with the condition of the deck, she left Anya and Echo go. The two women jumped across the other decks and joined one of Nyko’s crewmembers heading into town on a skiff. The women knew the rules, they had to return by the time Lexa needed them, and they had to be sober. 

Lexa stayed aboard the Heda and to go over the buildup of paperwork, to check the tide tables, and to listen to the radio, and then went to have dinner with the other captains. They talked about their successes and Lexa found out that Gustus’ hydraulics went down about two hours before the close and they had to haul the rest of the netting by hand. His crew had done it, but it had lost them time and it would cost them another day to have it repaired tomorrow. Lexa offered to take a look at the system.

Lexa meticulously looked through the external system under the bright flood light, the most likely cause would have been that a brailer snagged one of the hoses on its’ way over the wheel from the far side on a pick by the tender, but the hoses all looked intact. Lexa then moved into the system and found the issue. She let Gustus know she would need a new part, but that it shouldn’t be hard to get, and she could fix it in the morning if Gustus could bring a couple of her nets out when he came back from town.

Lexa headed back to the Heda to call in to town and order the new part.

=Trina, Heda=

Lexa waited a few moments to hear the crackle of the radio and a response.

=Heda, go ahead=

Lexa let Trina know what she needed, and Trina let her know she would contact the owner of the maritime supply store and see if he could have it to the office for Gustus to pick up first thing in the morning.

=Heda, SkaiPrisa=

=SkaiPrisa, Heda= Lexa answered.

=We’ve got the part you’re looking for here. Can you tell me exactly what you need, and I can double check? =

Lexa knew whose voice rang out over the radio and looked around from the controls to locate the SkaiPrisa. Lexa picked up her binoculars and saw the blonde-haired captain sitting in her captains’ chair, swinging from side to side as her hair caught the sunlight behind her and she waited for a response from Lexa.

Lexa fed her the description and watched the blonde leave the control room of the SkaiPrisa. She followed her through the binoculars as she exited the cabin to the deck and turned to descend the engine room stairs. After a minute or two, the captain reemerged, hands full, and made her way up to the control room again.

This time when the radio rang out, it was not the general radio that everyone could hear, but the individual comms that rang from ship to ship.

= Heda, SkaiPrisa=

=Yes, SkaiPrisa, Heda=

=I’m nearly certain I have what you’re looking for, but I have a few different fittings, do you want me to send them over to you when my crew come back in? =

Lexa talked to the woman and they decided it would be best if she just came over to pick out what she needed so there were no mistakes and she could get the hydraulics on Gustus’ ship fixed as quickly as possible.

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Lexa made her way over to the SkaiPrisa and was greeted on deck by the beautiful captain. Lexa nearly missed the line being tossed to her as she stared at the beautiful captain. After she got tied up, she tied up Gustus next to her, so they were two wide off the port of the SkaiPrisa.

Gustus thanked the captain of the SkaiPrisa and excused himself to get some sleep so that he could run errands for the group in the early morning.

Lexa stood at the rail of the Heda and watched as the captain of the SkaiPrisa approached. She was carrying a number of things in her arms and smelled like flowers and open ocean on a warm night. Lexa wanted desperately to be able to take in her full scent. She took in the subtle curves of the approaching woman and the strength clear in her forearms holding the machinery.

Lexa allowed herself to smile slightly as the woman approached her.

“Thank you for letting me look though these.” Lexa said to the beautiful captain that she was openly staring out.

“Of course, that’s what we’re here for.” The captain spoke back to Lexa modestly.

Lexa watched the way the blonde woman’s lips opened and closed and then made her way up to the woman’s eyes. Lexa felt like the eyes she saw might contain the variety and depth of the ocean. Lexa wanted a closer look but remembered why she was there. Lexa pulled the parts from the captain’s arms that she would need and asked if she could hold on to a couple of the fittings just in case.

She discovered the captain’s name was Clarke Griffin and that she was from DC. They spoke briefly before Lexa announced that she needed to get to work, but the conversation avoided the usual topics, how the season was going, predictions about the run, or when they would leave the bay. Their conversation flowed well and Lexa knew she needed to pull herself away before she ignored her mission.

Lexa climbed over to Gusuts’ ship and turned on the flood lights. Lexa saw Clarke puttering about her deck and Lexa decided that it would be best to work in just her sports bra. Lexa wore her oil stained and ripped jeans, but left her overalls hung up by the engine room door so they would be warm in the morning, and she set to work. The basic repairs took her longer than they would normally as she found herself looking over to the deck of the SkaiPrisa and tracking Clarke’s movements. She thought sometimes that she saw Clarke looking back over at her, but she couldn’t be positive.

By the time she was done, she was looking for an excuse to talk with Clarke once again. She wracked her brain to find the perfect excuse. Another repair-that would be a safe bet.

Lexa gathered the spare parts she had taken from Clarke and scrambled over to the deck of the SkaiPrisa. The deck rolled at another rate than her own and it took Lexa a moment to settle her feet and find her balance. Lexa heard a soft giggle hit her ears as she saw Clarke coming up from the engine room.

“Everything work out alright?”

“Perfectly, thank you.”

“Glad to hear it.” Clarke responded back.

“What do I owe you? Trina has already put in for the part, so that will be back to you in the morning.”

“Nothing, that’s what we’re here for, really.” Clarke was staring back at Lexa and for a moment, Lexa thought Clarke might be looking at Lexa with a degree of desire. Their silence stood for a moment until Lexa felt compelled to break it.

“Please, is there anything I can do?” Lexa offered again.

“Actually, I’ve just made dinner and I didn’t expect my crew to have left so suddenly, would you like to join me?” Clarke asked Lexa.

Lexa had not expected the offer but was happy to take her up on it. She had grown tired of fish and rice for dinner each night and sandwiches in between. 

Lexa shut down Gustus’ lights and then the Heda, securing a spring line to the midship as she left to the SkaiPrisa. Lexa followed Clarke into the cabin and it was warm. She couldn’t believe how warm it was. It beat the chill below deck on the gillnetter any day. Lexa realized she was still just in her sports bra and jeans and was happy she was not wearing her hoodie, she might have started sweating.

Through the portal was a bunkroom to the starboard and a wraparound desk to the port. Lexa followed Clarke past the makeshift office and followed Clarke into the galley. The galley had a long oval table and benches on three sides. The tiny kitchen was built along the aft wall and there was storage at the bow. The size of the galley was impressive, and it felt like the Heda’s surface area could be held inside the galley.

The smell of chicken caught in Lexa’s nose and she inhaled deeply.

“Wow, that smells amazing.”

“It’s not much, it’s chicken and salad with roast vegetables.” Clarke said while a light blush made its’ way to her cheeks.

“You have fresh veg?”

“Not much, but a little.”

“Are you sure you want to share, these are hot commodities” Lexa said picking a tomato slice out from the salad.

“I can’t get Octavia or Raven to eat anything but meat, so it’s completely wasted on them anyways. I’m happy to share with someone who wants to eat it.” Clarke said smiling.

“Thank you.” Lexa said as she sat down on the bench. Clarke served two plates and Lexa began to dig in greedily.

“This is amazing. Please, there must be something I can do to repay you.” Lexa offered.

“I’ll keep that in mind, but we’re going pretty good for now.”

The two women made easy conversation after that. They talked about their crews, their ships, their likes, and laughed fully with stomachs full. Lexa took the dishes after she had finished her second helping and made her way to the small sink. She washed the dishes and set them to dry. It was getting late, but she wasn’t ready to leave Clarke.

Lexa tried to identify the feeling that kept pulling her towards the captain that sat near her but couldn’t place her finger on it. The conversation was winding down and she felt like the natural moment to take her leave was approaching.

“Do you want to watch a movie?” Clarke asked.

“You have TV?” Lexa said, eyes going wide. Lexa’s internal dialogue started shouting, this is a terrible idea. Being alone with a gorgeous woman, watching a movie, bad idea, bad idea.

“Yes, we have TV. You don’t? Most of the ships do now, ya know.”

“I suppose, we just never got one I guess.” Lexa confessed.

“What do you want to watch?” Clarke asked while handing Lexa a case of movies.

Lexa began flipping through the pages of DVDs. The first few pages were action movies, _Die Hard_ , _James Bond_ , _Jurassic Park_ , and Lexa flipped past them pretty absently. Lexa passed the Disney section and took a bit more time flipping through, many of the movies were sentimental and she smiled when she saw the _Lion Kind_ and _Mulan_. Next was the romance section and Lexa felt an uneasiness in her stomach. She forced herself to turn the pages as a normal pace until she came to an unexpected section. She read the titles, _Elena Undone, Loving Annabelle, D.E.B.S._ Lexa took some time to flip through this section of the collection and the uneasiness she had felt at the romance section returned with full force this time.

Suddenly, Lexa felt that Clarke was far too close, and that Clarke’s gaze might be too intense. Lexa wanted to chance a look at Clarke now, but resisted. There was a section of horror movies and sets of TV series. Lexa flipped the page into comedy and felt safer. Lexa was about to choose _Baby Mama_ when her mouth started moving and she didn’t have a moment to censor her thoughts.

“How about _Baby Mama, The 100,_ or _Titanic?”_

Lexa could kick herself, what was she thinking? She hoped that Clarke would choose the Tiny Fey and Amy Poehler movie and put her out of her misery, but of course, that was not going to be the case.

“Octavia had us watch that last night and I’m afraid I don’t watch movies on the ocean that have to do with the ocean, _The 100_ okay?” Clarke responded.

Lexa thought to herself, sci-fi couldn’t be that bad. Maybe Clarke hadn’t seen that much of it. Clarke probably wouldn’t choose an episode when Alicia Debnam Carey started flirting with Eliza Taylor. It would be a safe choice.

Just as Lexa was feeling more confident in her choice, Clarke put in the third season DVD.

“Have you watched much of the show?” Clarke asked.

“Yea, I’m just behind on the last season, you?”

“Raven and Octavia had me start watching it a couple months ago. Do you mind if we continue where I left off?” Clarke asked.

“Of course.” Lexa said, watching Clarke’s arm extend towards the TV and the muscles in her forearms dance as she played with the remote.

Lexa’s eyes followed Clarke as she moved towards the kitchen and popped a bag of popcorn. Clarke emptied the bag into a bowl and set it in front of Lexa. Clarke then moved to the light switch and turned off the lights before taking a seat next to Lexa on the hard wood bench.

The screen came to life and jesus, she chose this episode, really, this fucking episode.

Lexa started eating popcorn to distract herself from the woman who sat beside her and what she knew the characters would be doing shortly on screen. She could see Clarke’s outline in the dark and watched the lights dance across her face as her features responded to the events in the show. As the two characters started their intimate encounter, Lexa did everything she could to pretend that there wasn’t a certain nerve lighting up and pretending that there was no effect on her panties. Lexa stole side glances and thought she saw Clarke doing the same. She prayed it was dark enough that Clarke couldn’t see the redness she was sure tinted her cheeks at the moment.

They were making their way through the episode and Lexa’s arousal turned to depression as the scene came to a close and Lexa knew what would happen next. She dreaded having to watch it but couldn’t locate her voice to speak to Clarke and warn her.

“What!! What!!” Clarke said standing up and almost hitting her head on the low hanging storage cupboards. “How could the kill her off? They finally got together, and they shot her? What the FUCK! Why do they always kill the queer characters?” Clarke was working herself up and Lexa just watched. Lexa had processed her grief a while back and had taken a two season break from the show to recover before returning as a viewer.

Clarke sat down in a huff and began talking at Lexa about the series. Lexa offered a little here and there, but mostly just listened to Clarke. It took Clarke about an hour to get to a point where it was best to let Lexa go. Time had escaped them both and the sun was already rising once more. 

 

The next morning, Gustus greeted Lexa with the new parts for Clarke and dropped Anya and Echo back with the nets Lexa requested. Lexa set Anya and Echo up on maintenance and for deep clean while she went to confirm the status of Gusuts’ hydraulics. Lexa was able to finish up her inspection quickly and returned to the Heda. Echo and Anya were blasting some mix of Echo’s that jumped from 90s hip hop to 2010s pop rock and back again. Lexa let them play their music as they worked but rolled her eyes at them as she went below deck. She pulled out the receipts from the drops yesterday and completed the tallies.

They were in a good position for so early in the peak. Lexa knew the Heda would need a couple of repairs this winter and she would not likely be able to do them before she left for Southeast to seine. Lexa would need to get a dry dock space with the company and then have the parts shipped up here, so she could complete the work in the early spring of next year.

Lexa inventoried the damage and estimated the repairs plus storage. It wouldn’t be an issue financially, it would just be a matter of securing a spot on such short notice and then arranging her schedule to be back early next year. Lexa radioed into the main office at the main office.

=Trina. This is the Heda=

=Heda, gotcha here=

=I’m going to need a place for the Heda through the spring on dry land. Do you still have any spaces? =

=Heda, we look like we’re gonna be full, but let me get back to you tomorrow and let you know if I can work anything out for you=

Lexa thought about some of her contingency options. She could run the boat to one of the other rivers, but Naknek was the ideal place. Lexa could catch a tow into Southeast, but that would cost her time, money, and would cost her more time on the way back up next year. Trina was good at her job, it would be best to wait and see if Trina could make arrangements before making other plans.

The radio began to bark again, =Are any welders available? SkaiPrisa is in need of a weld on the anchor winch=

Lexa listened to the message come through and considered how to respond or if to respond. She had returned to her bunk last night and thought about Clarke. Lexa was feeling things for Clarke and she was torn within herself. Lexa was curious to pursue the feelings of desire that were building in her for Clarke while her rational mind told her to shut it all out, to bury her feelings until they passed.

=SkaiPrisa, this is the Heda, we’ll dock on your starboard=

=Heda, we’ll be on deck=

Lexa exited the narrow cabin onto the deck and Anya and Echo took a break from their repairs to look at their Commander. Their expressions were somewhere between concern and confusion.

“Are we the repairmen of the fleet now?” Anya asked.

“It is in our interest for the fastest tender to be at optimal operating standard when we are back on the water.” Lexa responded.

“Want us to fix the pump at the dock next?” Anya said sarcastically.

“It’s not like you’re even doing the repairs, Anya.” Lexa retorted.

“I’m sitting here repairing your nets right now!” Anya spat out a bit more irritated.

“That’s because if you don’t, we can’t catch anything and the rest of this becomes irrelevant. Plus, if you can’t even fix the basics, I’ll replace you.” Lexa said teasingly.

“Please, like you could ever replace me.” Anya said as she continued threading the holes in the net.

“Just get ready to tie up. Port side in two. Echo, will you pick the anchor?” Lexa said as she went below to start the engine back up.

The Heda tied up to the SkaiPrisa and Lexa hopped over. Echo and Anya went back to repairing the nets on the back deck.

“Hello.” Clarke greeted Lexa.

“Hello.” Lexa responded. Lexa felt her heart rate quicken and her voice raise up slightly. She tried to put herself in check. This wasn’t happening, she didn’t have time for this. She DID NOT LIKE CLARKE.

“Thank you for coming over to check out the winch. I’m afraid that we’ve got two issues in fact. The first is with the winch, but the second is that we picked up a spare anchor when we pulled our anchor yesterday and now it’s caught. We tried knocking it off, sudden drops, and even have it suspended by our crane at the moment, but we’ve had no luck.”

“Let’s look at the winch first, it sounds like that should be an easy fix.” Lexa replied, happy to possibly repay her debt so quickly to the blonde.

“This way.”

Clarke led Lexa up the black metal stairs that ran up the exterior of the cabin. Lexa noticed a few patches of rust that needed to be address, otherwise Clarke would need new stairs within a season or two depending on the winters.

Lexa was led up to the bow and took in the sight before her. The portside crane was run up and over the cabin suspending the anchor chain just above the snare so that both chains were clearly visible, but there was approximately 5Klbs of steel anchor and chain swinging from a thousand-pound chain. It was good the tender was up river, foul weather and a bad bump could puncture the hull.

“Do you have the gear for me to weld the winch back together?” Lexa asked.

“Yes, just a second, Raven will bring it up.” The blonde leaned back to peer around the curve of the white cabin and down the stairs, “Raven!”

“I’m coming, I’m coming. I still think you should have let me do it.” Raven moaned as she guided the tanks up the stairs as the brunette ran the starboard crane. The tanks came to rest and the hoses were run to where Lexa could reach them.

Clarke excused herself, so she could check on their positioning as the tide was beginning to change and they were not able to anchor up. She had attached them to a mooring ball, but the skipper needed to rescan the area before they began to spin.

Lexa set up the hoses and turned on the gas, she worked swiftly even though Raven’s eyes followed her every move.

“Is there something you are looking for?” Lexa asked Raven.

“Nope, just learning to weld.” Raven responded as she pulled her sunglasses down and stared intently. “I think I could have figured it out, but Skippy Griffin over there said that the day before the rush starts isn’t the day for experimenting.” Raven said, rolling her eyes.

“I agree, that’s why I offered to fix this. What is your plan for the anchor?” Lexa asked.

“We’ll, that one I’ve got figured out. I’m going to cut the chain section above the snare and suspend the chain below the snare with lines attached to the starboard crane and then relink them when the other anchor is dropped.”

“Why wouldn’t you use the lines to untangle the chains?” Lexa asked.

“Because I like to blow things up.” Raven responded. “It’s what I’m good at.”

Lexa gave her a look that told Raven she was asking from a business perspective and not as friendly chatter.

“Fine, I don’t blow that many things up, I just mainly stay in the engine room. Plus, I can’t get the lines in the right positions through the small chains without a longer pike and a lower angle off the bow.” Raven answered.

“You do realize I have a boat, yes?” Lexa said coming off perhaps more condescendingly than intended.

“What, you? No, I thought you flew here.” Raven retorted.

“It seems you will be stuck blowing up the chain after all.” Lexa said without empathy.

“You done yet.” Raven said impatiently.

“Yes actually,” Lexa pulled up the mask and studied her work. “Better than new.”

The blonde returned to the deck and took in the tension between the two women. She wasn’t sure what had happened in the ten minutes she was gone, but the winch was fixed. “Raven, can you check that the engine didn’t burn anything up when we picked the extra weight?”

“Aye aye, Skippy.”

“Thank you, Captain for your help.” The blonde reached out to Lexa for a hand shake.

Lexa grasped Clarke by her forearm, “I’m sure your junior welder there can fix any further issues.” Lexa loved the way her hand wrapped around Clarke’s forearm. Clarke’s skin was soft and Lexa hoped that Clarke would run her soft fingers up the sensitive side of Lexa’s forearm, but the departing shake that lasted a few moments longer than convention warranted ceased and Lexa was left wanting. Lexa reminded herself that these thoughts were not helpful and made a promise to stay physically away from Clarke, no more touching.

Clarke shot a look at Raven and Raven continued tinkering with the winch and getting it back in operational order after it had nearly burned out trying to pull in the extra anchor.

Clarke escorted Lexa down the outside stairs towards where the Heda was tied up and Echo and Anya were supposedly working.

“Can we get you anything in return?” Clarke asked Lexa.

“No, just happy to have repaid the debt. Unless you want help with that anchor?”

“Still trying to figure that one out. Would you mind helping? I don’t want to take your whole day.”

“No trouble. I’m sure my crew would be happy for a break from sewing the net and needle gunning the cabin roof.” Lexa answered.

Neither Anya nor Echo responded to her comment as she realized that both had taken a break from working already. Lexa shot them both a dirty look that neither caught before Lexa climbed back across to the Heda and glanced back at the rail of her ship. Anya and Echo were both leaning over the rail talking to Raven and evidently flirting.

Lexa loosed the bowline and then began to pull away slowly. Her actions caught both women off guard as Lexa began to pull away faster. Echo scurried to toss the stern line off and Anya nearly lost her balance into the freezing water. Lexa laughed as did Clarke and the onlookers from the Fisa.

The Fisa and Heda both came around to the bow of the SkaiPrisa and began the process of wrapping and attaching different points of the new chain to the crane hooks while Clarke shouted crane directions to the women on the back deck who were navigating blindly.

“O, jib out and boom down but don’t fully extend. Rae, I need you to swing further port and drop the winch a couple feet.”

The cranes moved meticulously and after about an hour, the second anchor was lowered onto the stern behind the machinery they regularly used to sort and pump the salmon over to the SkaiPrisa and they were able to bring their own anchor to rest.

Clarke leaned over the bow to get close to the Fisa and Heda. Lexa had a full view of Clarke’s chest and could see a light blue lace bra peeking just over the line of her shirt. She stared as Clarke’s chest seemed to be trying to break free from its’ confines. When Lexa realized she wasn’t the only set of eyes to have spotted this, she felt protective and wanted to block the eye lines of the other onlookers. She felt possessive. Lexa needed to store these feelings, this wasn’t good for business.

Lexa pulled away and went to tie up to the group. Tonight, was about resting as much as possible for the next week when they would begin fishing nonstop.

 

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

=Heda, SkaiPrisa=

Lexa heard the radio crackle as she laid down in her narrow sardine bunk at bow.

=SkaiPrisa, Heda= Lexa heard back.

Anya had answered the call.

 =Switch to channel seven=

A few clicks were heard over the speakers followed by static.

Then the voice began again, =Thank you for your help today, we’d like to invite you to dinner tonight if you haven’t already eaten= This is the worst possible occurrence Lexa thought to herself.

Lexa looked up at the small portal that led up to the tiny cabin and immediately saw both Anya and Echo’s faces peering down at her.

Lexa looked back up at the two unimpressed.

The staring contest lasted for a few seconds before Anya made a move.

=We’ll be there= Lexa heard Anya say over the waves.

“Anya, you ass! Why did you do that?” Lexa demanded.

“Because none of us can cook and they offered us food that isn’t salmon and rice.”

“We’re not going.” Lexa said threateningly.

“Maybe you aren’t, but Echo and I are.”

“Any how to you plan to get there on my ship?” Lexa said cockily.

“Lex, there are three ways this can go down. One, you take us over there and we all have a lovely night with some beautiful women. Two, you continue being a reclusive ass and we call Lincoln over from the Fisa and get him to give us a ride, I’m sure he flipped the channel and heard the offer anyways.”

“Along with the rest of the fleet most likely” Echo added. Those three are some of the few women on the water and they are mainland 10s, that makes them Bristol 15s.”

“Option three,” Anya continued past the interruption, “I jump overboard and then you are forced to come rescue me and then when we’re already moving, Echo and I mutiny, and we make it to the SkaiPrisa. Personally, my favorite option is the first one because it’s the least effort.”

“Fine.” Lexa conceded. She knew she could fight harder, but something in her wanted to see a bit more of Captain Griffin. Lexa had recognized her beauty when the captain greeted her on deck and appreciated the reputation she had created for herself in such a short time. Lexa had not expected the Captain to have eyes like the ocean and hair like a sunrise, but what she had least expected was how Clarke sat in her mind. When Lexa was working seemed to be the only time she could get away from constant thoughts of Clarke and still Clarke sunk into her mind. Lexa found herself hoping that Clarke was watching her from her command center or that Clarke was thinking about her in her bunk. She replayed the stares they had exchanged while they had watched _The 100_ and in particular, the love scene.

“Really, that was easy.” Anya said back.

“Yea, the next week will be hell and I don’t want to hear any complaints.” Lexa said.

 

The Heda tied up to the SkaiPrisa and all three women hopped over the rails. The cabin they entered was warm and once again smelled delicious.  

“Wow,” Echo said admiring the space.

“Living large, tenderman, living large.” Anya added.

“Welcome, thank you for joining us.” The captain greeted. “Octavia is almost done with dinner, would you like a tour while she finishes up?”

Anya and Echo both declined in favor of sitting in the spacious galley and taking in the smells of something other than fish.

Lexa agreed to the tour and the captain asked Raven to come for the initial stop in the engine room.

“So, down here you got your basic 767s, 6s for generators, and then the RSW system, aka, my baby, the chiller.” Raven placed a hand on the obviously cold pipes. The woman moved around the engine room deftly as she pointed out the upgrades she had done to the RSW system. “I can chill all three tanks at full capacity while moving tend degrees in about 6 hours” Raven said proudly while moving on like it was nothing special. Raven slowed on her way up the stairs to leave the engine room and ran her hand over a rough weld that Lexa could tell was new. Lexa smirked as she took notice and made eye contact with Raven. Raven really had learned by watching Lexa do a single weld.

The repair was impressive for a first weld and Lexa gave Raven a discrete nod to Raven before Raven turned back and led the women out of the engine room. Raven was a gifted engineer. Lexa was curious about some of the other upgrades to the engine but didn’t want to spend the next three hours in there taking apart the engines, but she hoped that she might be able to another time.  

Raven rejoined the other crew members in the galley and the captains headed up to the command center. The SkaiPrisa’s command center was a floor above deck and had 180 degree visibility with the captains quarters being to the aft and letting out to a balcony with a view of the back deck with rear controls for the dual pin steering.

The captain showed Lexa around the command center and Lexa was impressed by the charts on the walls and the choice of equipment. The SkaiPrisa had the modern navigation system, but also had an old sextant on the wall, a sonar and radar, as well as a barometer. Lexa guessed much of it would be for show.

“A few years ago on my first solo trip from up here to Anchorage, a storm knocked out my comms, satellite feed, and most of my electronic navigation capabilities. I had to free sail it from 200 miles out of King Cove.”

Lexa was impressed, that was a feat. How had she not heard this story before?

“Why were you alone?” Lexa found herself asking rather than voice the compliment.

“Raven and Octavia weren’t with me yet and the crew I had wasn’t willing to make the trip when they could fly into Ketchikan and hop on a seiner the next morning, but I needed to get to Valdez to tender for pinks.”

“That is quite a journey.”

“It’s not too bad with Raven and Octavia. This year though, Raven has to head early, so it will just be me and O.”

“When do you leave for Southeast? That’s got to be ten days trip or so.” Lexa said.

“We will leave as soon as the numbers here drop below the numbers in Southeast or look like they are heading that way. We can make the trip in eight days if the weather cooperates, but yes, usually ten. One year I waited three days to cut through false pass because of the weather and tides. That was the worst year.”

“Food!” Came a call from downstairs.

The captain looked at Lexa and intended towards the central staircase, “after you.” Lexa watched the golden locks fall across the woman’s smooth skin and her curves twist to indicate the direction. Lexa took an extra second for her feet to begin moving her forward, but she eventually started. She was walking down the red staircase and as she was descending, Lexa turned back to look at the captain. In the confined space, she could smell the other woman. The captain smelled of jasmine and cashmere with undertones of the salty fresh air and charcoal. Lexa wondered why she should smell charcoal, but her thoughts were cut short when she felt hard cold metal attack her forehead and then the cold edges of steel press into her back. From there, it all went black.

Lexa came to, lying on her back on a soft and warm bed. It smelled nice and not like anything aboard the Heda during fishing season. Jasmine and cashmere again. Lexa adjusted her head in the soft pillow and took a deep breath before opening her eyes to see the ocean looking back at her. After a moment of believing herself lost at sea, Lexa pulled her thoughts together.

“Lexa, can you hear me?”

Maybe Lexa was dead. Maybe sirens were real, and they were calling her, the voice sounded so melodic and she wanted to follow it. Finally, reality set in and she was lying on her back unable to bring anything into focus. She shot up and started to grasp at anything to gather her bearings.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay, you’re safe.” Lexa heard a melodic voice say as the beautiful face became clearer to her and she was able to calm down. Lexa felt the light pressure of a soft hand on her rough hand and threw her focus at it.

“You hit your head on the ceiling in the stairwell and then fell down the stairs. You’ve been out for about 45 minutes and I had to give you a couple stitches.” The blonde captain informed her. Anya and Echo were at the side of the captain nodding along like idiots.

Lexa felt her face flush red as more of the memory flooded back.

“Can you follow my finger with your eyes?”

Lexa did as she was asked.

“Great, now what is your birthday and today’s date?”

“My birthday is July 31st and today is June 23rd.” Lexa said flatly.

“You should be a bit sore from impact, but if you can ice the wound, keep it clean, and take some aspirin, you should be good as new within a few days.”

“Thank you.” Lexa said to the blonde as she moved to get up. She felt a little dizzy and warm hands guided her back down.

“Take a few minutes before you get up to make sure your head has settled, then we’ll get you downstairs for some food.”

The captain dismissed Anya and Echo from her quarters and jumped up to sit at the end of her bunk at Lexa’s feet.

“Thank you.” Lexa said.

“It was nothing, but you’re welcome.”

“Thank you.” Lexa said again.

“Maybe I should double check that you’re not concussed, I heard thank you was not normally in your vocabulary.”

“I see a reputation precedes me.”

“Perhaps.”

“Well, for the record, I have said thank you a few times in my life, but only when it is deserved.”

The two women smiled at one another.

Clarke made small talk with Lexa for a few minutes and eventually Clarke allowed Lexa to sit up. Lexa’s head spun for a moment and Clarke sat closer to her. Clarke checked Lexa’s eyes and the site of her stitches. Lexa wasn’t sure if it was the impact that was making her head spin of the proximity to Clarke, but Clarke was intoxicating, and Lexa found her mind wandering. Lexa thought about what it might be like to feel Clarke’s hands other places than her shoulder or her forehead, what it might be like to lie with Clarke in this bunk under other circumstances.

Not too long after Lexa proved she could stand stably; the two captains made their way downstairs. 

Lexa entered the galley to find that Nyko and his first mate, Lincoln, had joined them.

“I told you Lincoln was listening to the radio” Anya announced to Lexa.

“I wasn’t listening, we came over to get gas and were invited.” Lincoln said defensively while shifting his gaze to Octavia.

 

The group seemed to split off in conversation with Lexa, Clarke, and Gustus at the head of the oval table talking about the normal topics of fish fish, and more fish, and the others rattling on loudly about nothing. The others scarfed their food and then proposed to go into town.

“You can go after deck is set.” Lexa responded to Echo’s request.

“Then hurry up and let’s get started.” Echo said impatiently.

 “Commander, you coming?” Anya asked.

“No, just let me tie back up and you can leave.” Lexa replied.

“Why don’t you tie up with us, it sounds like my crew would like to head in with yours and it would be best if I checked in on you each hour to make sure you don’t have a concussion, really.”

Lexa nodded and turned to Anya and Echo, “listen for the open time, we need to be back at the North line at go time.”

“We know, Commander. We’ll be back.” With that, Anya and Echo both waved to their captain and Raven and Octavia waved to their own. Lincoln left with the other women and didn’t look back at Gusuts.

 

“Would either of you like some coffee or wine?” Clarke offered the other captains.

Gustus excused himself, but Lexa agreed. The tender was larger and hardly felt like it was moving.  Lexa found her body swaying to compensate for a motion that wasn’t there and bumped into Clarke a couple times trying to make their way up to the deck. When Lexa followed Clarke to the bow, she wondered where they were going, but Clarke climbed on top of the anchor winch and then pulled herself onto the roof of the cabin. Lexa followed suit and realized that Clarke had attached seats to the radio towers.

“This is my favorite view.” Clarke announced as she opened the bottle of red and poured a glass for Lexa.

The two women exchanged stories of their journeys to becoming not only captains, but captains in Bristol Bay. There were only three female captains in their fleet, Indra, Clarke, and Lexa. One day, Lexa knew Anya would move on and also that Indra was waiting to pass on her title and ship to her daughter Gaia, but Gaia was still learning the Northern waters.

Clarke grew up in DC but her father had been a crabber from the Northeast. Clarke had worked with him ever summer while her mom remained in DC at the hospital. She had learned those waters and had fallen in love with the sea, but when her father passed, Clarke couldn’t bear to be back on the ship or in the same waters she had grown up in, so she sold everything and went to college on the East Coast. She had studied medicine for a few years, following in her mother’s footsteps, but she missed the sea.

Clarke dropped out in her final year of medical school and moved to the West Coast to join a squidding fleet out of Monterey Bay. Clarke had worked there as a deckhand for five years and then found her way aboard a tender. The Tender was a different game than fishing or squidding. The tenderman were not responsible for laying and picking the nets, but they worked just as hard. Each of them had to be able to do every job on the ship and they never slept. The tender is the lifeline for all ships while on the water and is responsible for getting them back out to the lines as quickly as possible. Clarke found that she was not the strongest or fastest picker and so made a moderate picker, but she was outstanding at helping a crew grow into the positions that were needed.

Clarke used the money from her father’s ship and bought the SkaiPrisa out of Louisiana. She had Raven fiberglass the holds and retrofit the cranes to do what was needed and they built the SkaiPrisa into what it is now. When they headed to Southeast to work for Icicle, they picked up Octavia off one of the islands and Octavia knew the area and had worked on fishing boats her whole life. She was a great asset to them and worked harder than anyone could ask. The three women became close and fell in sync quickly.

Being the smallest tender meant that they had to make more frequent runs back to the cannery to offload, but they were more efficient than the rest not only at processing the gillnetter’s catches, but also at getting pumped out and could enter shallower waters than the large processors. Being able to enter shallower waters meant that they could cross sandbars that were barriers for other ships and required gillnetters to travel less to offload with the SkaiPrisa. Due to Raven’s work on the engines, they also traveled faster and looked like they would be top tender for the fleet this year.

Lexa and Clarke talked until the sun kissed the horizon and began to rise again.

“Did you catch the time of the opener?”

“No, let me call in.”

=Trina, SkaiPrisa=

=Gotcha SkaiPrisa=

=When does the opener start?=

=Just announced, open fishing as of 0600=

=Thanks=

Lexa looked at her watch, she needed to get going and catch a couple hours sleep before it was time to head out. Anya and Echo should also be back in an hour or so to prepare the ship.

“Thank you, again.” Lexa said to Clarke as she straddled the rails separating their ships.

“Thank you, Lexa. We would have missed tomorrow if you hadn’t saved us.”

“Well, it did cost me a day of work, a concussion, and another scar.” Lexa laughed.

The two women made eye contact and Lexa watched the soft sun rising behind Clarke. It was causing Clarke’s hair to glow and for everything about her to seem on fire. Lexa remembered the old stories Indra would tell her of the creatures that lived in the sea and swore Clarke had to be a mermaid or a siren to be so beautiful. Lexa found herself swinging her leg back over to the SkaiPrisa side of the rail and Clarke was standing just a foot away.

Lexa slid off the rail and moved in on Clarke. The air weighed heavy between them, neither making a move to leave the other or to break eye contact. Clarke reached up to Lexa’s forehead to check the stitches and ran her thumb gently along the side of the stitches.

Lexa glanced down to Clarke’s lips and made her intentions clear before gliding her hand up Clarke’s cheek and behind her neck, but it was Clarke that leaned in. Clarke’s lips upon hers were electric. Lexa could feel her voice flee from her along with any conscious thought outside of the sensation of Clarke returning her kiss.

Their lips fit together like they were supposed to be together and after a moment, Lexa felt Clarke take control of the kiss. Clarke was more forceful and wanting, and Lexa quickly picked up the pace to match. Clarke’s hand found its’ way under Lexa’s hoodie and began to run softly across her abs, over her hips, and around to her back. Clarke was mapping her body and Lexa felt excited by Clarke’s interest. Lexa kept a hand on the back of Clarke’s neck, but occasionally drifted into her hair, back down her cheek, or to the front of her neck. Clarke was strong beneath her curves and Lexa could not get enough of the feel of Clarke’s body pressed against hers.

=Heda, I’ve got your crew. Let’s bump and go on the way North= Indra’s voice rang out over the radio from Clarke’s back deck and from the Heda’s speakers - breaking through the haze and pulling the two women apart.

Neither Clarke nor Lexa seemed to have processed what happened yet and stood frozen staring at one another.

After a few moments to long, Clarke brought their lips back together in a chaste kiss and pulled away. “Go” Clarke finally got out.

Lexa stared at her and her body followed the command. She jumped the rails back to her ship and landed gracefully on the deck. Lexa undid the spring line at midship and handed it over to Clarke, making sure that her hand caressed the softness of Clarke’s before moving away. Lexa then moved to the stern and did the same, all while staring into Clarke’s deep blues that still looked like the night sky. She finally made her way to the wheelhouse and allowed Clarke to swing the bowline free before moving out. Lexa was attentive until she was a few feet away from the SkaiPrisa but before she throttled forward, she chanced one more look at the breathtaking captain.

Clarke stood at her midship with a sweet smile on her face as she watched Lexa head out for the front line.

Lexa finally took her eyes off Clarke and shook her head. She had it bad. She tried to minimize, it’s just a crush, it would pass. It wasn’t serious, Lexa just needed some time away from Clarke to clear her head.  

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The weather was rough, the three days of West winds had built the waves up to eight feet with irregular swells and the gillnetter was being knocked around.  Lexa talked to Anya and Echo and they chose to fish the front line while many opted to stay up river where it was calmer. The foul weather made everything harder and Lexa had to be at the best of her game to keep her and her crew safe around not just the weather, but the other ships, some of whom had reckless practices or drove too close, knowing Lexa would keep the safety buffer between them for her crew’s sake.

A Westwind of lengthy duration like this helped push the fish into the mouth of the river and meant good catches if you could handle the weather.

=South line blowing up= Gaia’s voice rang out over the radio.

=Roger= Lexa said in return. She told Anya and Echo they were going to pick their net and head to Southline to fish overnight.

Both deckhands picked and bled as quickly as they could. They showed the fresh fish lower into the holds in an attempt to bring their temps down in time to offload to the SkaiPrisa.

Lexa looked for the black ship on the horizon line and saw only one gillnetter offloading.

=SkaiPrisa, Heda=

=Go ahead Heda=

 =Do you have chilled water to spare? = Lexa asked over the radio.

=We’re taking one last drop before we are going to head into the cannery=

Lexa knew Clarke was avoiding answering over the open radio because they would have to give out water to everyone if they agreed to give water to the Heda.

“Hey, we’re gonna tie up to the SkaiPrisa in 15, have that net clean. Then we’ll go to the Southline.”

Anya and Echo both waved a hand in understanding as they knelt on the deck pulling fish from the net.

 

Lexa navigated them through the myriad of other gillnetters begin bounced around by the waves, while dragging 75 feet of net behind her. Anya and Echo had the net picked clean by the time they made it to the SkaiPrisa. The weather was too rough for the gillnetter to tie up to the tender without getting caught under one of the tires and risk a collision.

=Can you reach the far side without a tie up? =

=We’ll make it work= Clarke responded to Lexa over the radio as both ships were moving towards the cannery. Lexa would stay in the wheelhouse and keep them as steady as possible and at a reliable pace that would be set by Clarke. They were on Raven’s side crane and Octavia would be handling bags and weights.

Lexa shouted down to Anya and Echo, “I want us to do this and do it fast but stay safe and keep the fuck away from the bags once they’re free!”

Echo and Anya received the first set of pelican hooks over from the SkaiPrisa. Octavia had hung them from the swinging crane hook and Raven navigated the hook to land in Echo’s raised hand. Anya quickly strapped the hooks into the bags and signaled Raven to winch up to take the weight. When the bag was nearly free, Anya and Echo made their way to the far side of the deck to stand clear of the swinging thousand-pound bags. Raven lifted the bags above head height and Anya and Echo set to attaching the next set of bags.

Octavia weighed and tripped the bags and brought the chilled water hose over to Anya when they were about halfway done with the bags. They began refilling their tanks with the prechilled water so that the Heda would be able to take fish as soon as they got to the South line.

The bump and go was successful, but they couldn’t get close enough to get a receipt from the SkaiPrisa. Clarke waved Lexa on and picked up the radio.

= We’ll keep it =

Lexa waved back through the window and they took off for the Southline.

 

A few days at the South Line fishing around the clock left Lexa, Anya, and Echo not only exhausted but down about fifteen pounds each from where they were at the beginning of season. Their clothes began to hang off their bodies that were already lean with muscle and their ribs became more prominent beneath their clothes. Morale around this ship was tense and the women worked in more silence than before. They all smelled slightly and their clothes were dirty and tempers were on edge.

The tide was set to change, and Lexa knew this would be the ideal time for her crew to catch a couple hours sleep. They went back to the SkaiPrisa that was anchored up river. They would offload what they had and then would get some sleep while they were in the river away from the worst of the wind. Not only had they only been allotted a few hours to sleep each day, but the weather had been so rocky that even staying in their bunks had been a challenge and the little sleep they got was not deep or sufficient.

Each of them was only a statement away from a fight and they all knew it. Lexa tried to make sure that there was always music playing and that they had been equipped with quick grab food, but it was running low and she knew they would need to break for a decent amount of time soon to sleep and restock, but the fishing was good.

Lexa tied up to the SkaiPrisa and they began the process again. They had totaled in at 45,000lbs over the last 30 hours and deserved some rest. Before they left, Clarke came down and greeted Lexa.

“We’re in calm water, do you want to stay ties up and get some rest? We’ve got extra lunch too.” Clarke offered.

Lexa looked back at Anya and Echo who were covered in scales, blood, and slime and could see their exhaustion.

“That would be great. We’ve got a few kings that we could give you for dinner.” Lexa offered in return, hating to take the offer without providing their own merits.

“Okay.” Clarke said and walked back into the cabin through the white painted portal that was always latched open.

The women worked to clean up the deck faster than Lexa had ever seen Anya and Echo move. She also noted that Anya kept looking over at Raven while she and Octavia were cleaning down their deck and rearranging their machinery for a drop and cargo pick in a few hours.

When both decks were washed down, Anya, Echo, and Lexa crawled up and over the tender’s rails to the black steel deck. Raven and Octavia were just laying the cranes across the hopper and sorting tables before heading inside. Anya and Echo stayed on deck to see if they could help at all while Lexa ducked into the portal. A white sheet of paper hung from the top and Lexa turned around to see the word ‘fish’. She looked for a moment at the sign and nearly missed the deep step inside the cabin.

“It use to say duck, but I was informed that there is no place for ducks aboard a fishing vessel, so now it says fish.”

Lexa smiled at the silliness of the crew and took in the desk that Clarke sat at. It was an old wooden desk with names carved all over the table. Some had been painted in and others stood fresh against the red paint. Lexa read some of the strange names; Cheese Samich, Glitch, Greenie, Biggie Smalls, Skai Princess, Bell, Beast Mode, and many more.

“Food should be just about ready.” Clarke said as she shuffled the papers in front of her and shoved them into a manila envelope before standing and smiling at Lexa. They shared an awkward moment of eye contact, both resisting moving towards the other.

Raven’s feet swung in from the portal and she landed with a two-foot stomp just behind Lexa, shattering the moment. Anya, Echo, Octavia, and Lincoln followed in.

“I thought I heard the oven ding!” Raven announced as the women raced past the captains and into the galley to check the oven. Clarke stood watching the hungry women race to the food.

“Have you eaten in the last few days?” Clarke asked Lexa. Clarke looked at the way Lexa no longer filled out her hoodie. When Lexa took off her hoodie in the warm cabin, Clarke saw that she no longer filled out her tee shirt and that her overalls looked nearly a size too big.

“No, not really.” Lexa answered, trying to remember what she had eaten and recalling a sandwich at some point but not recalling how long ago that had been.

“There are porkchops, corn stuffing, and rice. I also made you brownies.” Clarke said the last part a bit shyly and with a sudden interest in her toes before she met Lexa’s eyes once more.

“That sounds amazing, Klark.” Lexa responded. Neither had moved towards or away from one another and Lexa waited for Clarke’s eyes to find her’s once again. Clarke had made her brownies. It was the sweetest thing she could imagine from someone on the water and Lexa felt the overwhelming urge to kiss Clarke in that moment. Lexa’s mind stuttered and her last thoughts of touching Clarke being a bad idea drifted from her mind.

Clarke finally took a step forward and just then, Anya reemerged from the galley, “you two coming?”

Clarke laughed at the absurdity of their situation and pulled Lexa into the galley to eat. Everyone scarfed their food and Anya, Echo, and Lexa consumed quantities of food that would put a football team to shame, fortunately, the tendermen had prepared. Departures were swift, everyone scurrying back to their ships to get as much nap time as possible before they set out again.

Lexa was the last to depart and Octavia and Raven were already in their bunkroom by the portal to the deck. Clarke walked Lexa out. Before Lexa could make it through the portal, Clarke pulled on Lexa’s hand and brought her back a few steps. Clarke’s hand did not let go of her hand and intertwined her fingers with Lexa’s long slim fingers.

Clarke took a shallow breath and made her decision. She tugged at Lexa’s hand and pulled her close, bringing their lips together once again. Lexa felt the magic between them and her body began to respond to Clarke’s touch. It was different this time with the intimacy of their interlaced fingers and Clarke led in with a sweet kiss. The kiss deepened and Lexa’s tongue reached out to meet Clarke’s. Just as soon as they began, the door to the bunkroom swung open and the two women sprang apart. Octavia was getting up to use the head.

Octavia looked at Clarke and Lexa and took in the scene. It was clear Octavia had a full understanding of what had transpired, but she simply smiled, said nothing, and made her way to the toilet.

Clarke brought her forehead to Lexa’s and gave her another kiss. Lexa took Clarke’s hand in her own and after a squeeze, she placed a tender kiss to her palm. Lexa lowered Clarke’s hand to her side and headed back to her ship. After each encounter, Lexa had a reflex after that told her it was too much, too far, that having feelings for the gorgeous captain was a terrible idea. She would commit to forgetting Clarke but at each opportunity, found herself thinking about the blonde and seeking out excuses to talk more with her or even to watch her work.

 

\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next couple days flew by with endless fishing and such little food or sleep that the women began to lose track of time. Lexa made sure they fished as much as possible and made sure her crew slept about three to four hours a day but would delay if they found a good spot. It was taking its tool on them all.

The chatter was minimal, and everyone was on edge from lack of sleep and physical exhaustion. The women had all lost weight and were operating on bare bone rations because of time, not for lack of food.

Lexa had called a break for the crew when their fishing spot seemed to dry up. They off loaded and then settled in for snacks and naps. They would break for four hours and then get back to it. Anya cleaned the deck while Echo made sandwiches and heated up hot water for soup. The women ate their food as quickly as possible to get into their bunks.

Echo and Anya hit their bunks and were out immediately. Lexa was about to do the same when the private comms went off.

=Heda, SkaiPrisa=

Lexa turned around and headed back outside and up to the control room. She picked up the comms.

=SkaiPrisa, Heda=

Clarke’s voice rang over the comm system. Lexa assumed there was an agenda, but Clarke had called to talk, just to talk. Lexa smiled to herself and settled in to talk with Clarke, happy to hear her voice. All thought of stifling her feelings for Clarke long forgotten.

The two women talked for about an hour when Lexa heard Raven’s voice come over the radio.

=I swear to fucking god woman, if you don’t get off the fucking phone, I’m going to cut our fucking comms. We can hear you fucking giggling and flirting from down here=

Clarke apologized to Lexa for the interruption and Lexa noted that Clarke hadn’t defended that she was flirting, at least in the moment. Lexa’s heart beat a little faster at the thought that Clarke was flirting with her and she cursed Raven for the interruption.

 Clarke let Lexa go with a promise to see her again soon. When Lexa laid back in her bunk, her head was spinning with thoughts of Clarke. She ran her fingers over the still risen stitches and thought of the care Clarke had given her and how soft Clarke’s hands had been. She drifted off to sleep with thoughts of Clarke touching her other places.

 

The next time Lexa saw Clarke was through binoculars. The Heda was fishing too far to make it to the SkaiPrisa and could not make an excuse to head that way so long as the fishing was good. She and Clarke seemed to find an excuse to speak to one another each day and sometimes multiple times a day about everything and nothing at all.

Lexa found herself seeing Clarke in her dreams and thinking about excuses to tie up to the SkaiPrisa whenever possible. After another day or two, it was impossible to tell, Anya suggested that if they didn’t shower, they were going to start growing mold on their bodies. Lexa agreed after a small protest when Anya suggested they ask a tender to use their showers. Lexa was secretly thrilled when Anya suggested they call the SkaiPrisa but let Anya make the call so that she wouldn’t come across too strongly.

Raven had picked up the horn when Anya called and invited them over for showers and a load of laundry. When the women tied up and headed inside,  Raven led Anya and Echo to the head by the bunk room and got them set up for laundry and showers. Octavia was out on deck on watch duty. She would handle any vessel coming by for fuel, water, groceries, etc. Lexa trailed in through the portal after the other women had broken out into their separate directions and found Clarke sitting at the desk.

 

“Just going over some paperwork, go ahead.” Clarke said absently. “Showers are to the right and should be open in a few minutes, someone just went in and another is waiting I believe.”

“Thank you.” Lexa responded quietly and Clarke looked up, recognizing who it was who had boarded her ship. Clarke rose from behind the desk.

“Oh, hi.” Clarke said taking in Lexa standing there in her hoodie and ripped jeans that her legs were no longer filled out. Clarke grabbed Lexa’s hand and led her up the center stairs without any more words being exchanged. Before they passed the place where Lexa hit her head, Clarke turned to her and smiled, “fish.”

Lexa smiled back and ducked her head as they made their way up to the wheelhouse.

It had been three weeks and four days since they had first touched and apparently Clarke had been just as enamored as Lexa had been.

Clarke brought Lexa around the corner and slammed her back against the stateroom door. Lexa had been in the stateroom before when she came to from hitting her head, but this time, the only thing that mattered was Clarke’s lips. Clarke was fully pressed against Lexa and had a thigh pressing its way between Lexa’s knees. 

Lexa allowed her entry and could feel the friction building. Lexa pulled back and shook her head.

“I’m sorry,” Lexa said, “I’ve got scales and guts in my hair.”

Clarke laughed and picked a scale off Lexa’s cheek, “not just in your hair.”

Clarke grabbed Lexa’s hand and led her to the head. Clarke’s hands slid under Lexa’s hoodie and pressed her palms underneath on the warm skin she found there. Clarke’s breath hitched as she ran nimble fingers over the ripples in Lexa’s abs and Lexa reached down to the hoodie’s hem and pulled it over her head. The reduced diet had eaten away at any spare weight Lexa had built up over the past year and there was nothing left to conceal or soften her muscles.

Clarke quickly followed by bringing Lexa’s black Under Armor up and over her head as well. Clarke drank in Lexa’s body, the incredible amount of muscle that hung to her lithe figure. Clarke’s eyes wandered the expanses of revealed skin and Clarke ran her fingers across Lexa’s chest and sides. Lexa let her head fall back at feeling the warmth of Clarke’s hands on her body.

“I’ve been dying to touch you.” Clarke let the words escape from her mouth without taking her eyes or hands-off Lexa’s body. Lexa let her hands run over Clarke’s and she helped guide Clarke’s hands to her breasts over her sports bra and couldn’t stand that there was still a barrier between them.

Lexa began to kiss Clarke feverishly once again. Their kisses grew in passion and Lexa could feel the heat building between her legs, the want for Clarke commanding her thoughts.

Clarke took a step away and turned on the hot water in the shower behind them. Lexa went to remove Clarke’s top and heard heavy footsteps coming up the central staircase. Clarke broke away and stepped outside the bathroom door. Clarke scanned Lexa’s body once more before making eye contact, offering a small smile, and closing the door.

Lexa could hear Octavia and Clarke exchanging words outside the door and Lexa stepped into the shower. Lexa washed her hair quickly and tried to get out as much of the fishy smell and scales as possible.

Once Lexa felt presentable, she stayed under the hot water a few extra minutes, hoping that Clarke would come back to her. Lexa eventually gave up and turned the water off. She got dressed in her cleanest layer of clothing and headed down to the galley.

Lexa found Clarke at the table digging into the meal with another skipper. She watched for just a moment and could tell Bellamy desired Clarke in the way Lexa did. She watched Bellamy stare at Clarke and even reach out for her hand. Clarke did not move when he connected their hands. Their hands. Lexa had held that hand and she felt that everything she thought she had with Clarke fall away.

Lexa recognized Bellamy Blake from another tender but had never had a great relationship with him. Lexa always felt that Bellamy mismanaged his crew and wasted time unnecessarily. Bellamy had been quick to argue with some of the other skippers and although Lexa had never had a direct confrontation with Bellamy, her group avoided his tender if there was another option available.

“Lexa.”

“Bellamy.” Lexa replied back.

“Good season so far?” Bellamy asked, forcing pleasantries. Lexa had no desire for pleasantries with Bellamy and especially not now. She nodded to him.

Lexa looked at Clarke. “Thank you for the shower.” Lexa said and walked out of the galley. Lexa checked that she had both her crew members and cast the lines loose before heading to the Southline to prepare.

=Heda, Trina=

= Heda= Lexa responded to the office manager.

= I checked a couple of the other docks in the area, there’s no space to house you for the winter=

=Roger that= Lexa concluded, slamming the VHF onto its’ clip. Fuck. Could this day get any worse?

 

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

The next week flew by with excruciating effort. The crew was fishing night and day, commanding the South line and fighting the weather. The Heda and their group were all putting up huge numbers and were working nearly nonstop, knowing the fishing would only be like this for another few days or so before the dogs entered the river and the reds began to spawn.

When the dogs started entering the river, many of the fisherman started docking their ships and heading to Southeast to begin seining although the seining hadn’t started strong.

The group got together one night when tide was against them and looked at their plan. Indra was ready to leave and head South in the next couple days. She had put in her notice to the fleet and made arrangements for Gaia to fly out and prepare the ship while she got everything wrapped up in the Bay.

Nyko was prepared to do the same. The numbers were going to dwindle quickly, and he knew he would have to release his crew to their other pursuits. Lexa was delaying because she knew the Heda needed to be docked for repairs, but there were no spaces. Her contingency plan would be to pay someone to tow her around the peninsula and then to sail open ocean to either Valdez or Anchorage. Lexa’s options for a tow were also running slim, there would be the SkaiPrisa, whom she had been avoiding, or there was Bellamy Blake, whom she always avoided.

“I heard Clarke is looking for someone to crew with her to Valdez. Apparently, she tried to go through John Murphy up here but then someone let her in on Jordan repairs in Valdez, so she wants to head, but her crew already has plans. You could catch a tow with her.” Indra informed the group.

“Why would I catch a ride when I could just drive it myself.” Lexa said defensively, still feeling bitter about their last encounter where she had been left by Clarke for Bellamy.

“Lex, I know you are stubborn, but even you can’t defend that choice. Call Clarke before someone else does.” Gusuts said.

Lexa felt the pit of her stomach tighten at the thought, but her pride stood in her way.

“I will think of something.” Lexa said confidently.

“We will all be out by the end of the week Commander, you need to think of something fast.” Gustus said as he rose to head back to his boat for a few hours sleep before going out again.

Indra acknowledged Lexa and made her way off the vessel as well.

Lexa went to the wheelhouse to think over any option she could be missing. When she got there, she heard the private radio go off.

=Heda, SkaiPrisa=

Lexa looked at the private comm and decided against answering, she was irritated and wanted to think of anything other than the beautiful blonde captain who was anchored up 600 feet to the Northeast of her own position.

=Heda, SkaiPrisa. Lexa, I can see you in the wheelhouse, pick up=

=Yes= Lexa caved.

=I heard you needed a ride to Southeast=

=Who told you that?=

=Someone. Which means I assume you know I need someone to make the journey with me=

=I may have heard that= Lexa said trying to sound distant.

=Where are you heading?=

=I haven’t even decided if I am going=

 =Why are you being so difficult?= Clarke said, growing evidently more frustrated by the moment.

=I’m not being difficult, you called me=

=Goddamit, do you want the ride or not!= Clarke nearly shouted over the radio.

=When are you leaving?=

=Four days= Clarke informed Lexa.

=Okay=

=You do know we will have to talk about some things first right?=

Lexa let Clarke’s comment sit for a moment because the only responses she could muster were all so covered in sarcasm she thought her eyes might get stuck in the back of her head.

=Yes=

=Make time tomorrow. SkaiPrisa over=

=Tomorrow we are on the line= Lexa sent back.

There was no answer.  Lexa tried again.

=I can’t tomorrow, we’re busy= and again.

=Clarke= and again.

=Clarke=

She slammed the radio down and slumped in her chair looking out into the low light. Lexa picked up her binoculars and looked at the wheelhouse of the SkaiPrisa and saw Clarke sitting in her chair. Lexa knew she was heard loud and clear and Clarke declined to respond.

Lexa put down the binoculars and realizes Anya had joined her in the adjacent chair.

“Want to talk about whatever that was?” Anya began curiously.

“No.”

“Should I go ahead and tell you what it is then?”

“No.”

“Want to make a plan to deal with your major hearteyes for your SkaiPrisa Captain?”

“Don’t you have something to do?” Lexa barked at Anya.

“As first mate, my job is to also be your best friend, so yes, I am attempting to work miracles.” Anya said. “What happened?”

“Nothing happened.”

“Don’t lie.”

“Fine, we made out a little, but then she sorta blew me off and that was it.”

“Is that why you’ve had a pole up your ass the last week? Makes way more sense why you’ve been so high strung now.”

“How is this helping?” Lexa said to her friend.

“Just putting the pieces together Commander. Why did she blow you off?”

“Bellamy.”

“Bellamy?”

“Yes, fucking Bellamy, from the Ark.”

“I’ve been in this business as long as you have, I know who Bellamy Blake is, ya idiot, but what does he have to do with anything?”

“She left me to be with him.” Lexa said softly though her anger was reaching near to its’ boiling point.

“I call bullshit. Tell me what happened.” Anya encouraged.

Lexa laid out what had happened with Clarke and how it had been a short series of making out and that Clarke had left Lexa in the shower to have dinner with Bellamy.  

“You are an idiot. Octavia called over Bellamy, her brother, to meet Lincoln that night because she and Lincoln have been dating for a few weeks now. Octavia asked Clarke to talk with Bellamy that night while she went to get Lincoln ready.”

“That is a stupid plan, and she still could have come back up or even called after that.” Lexa defended.

“You’re right, all of those things could have happened. You could have also stayed to talk with her or called her the next day.” Anya offered as the voice of reason.

“She clearly didn’t want to be with me, or she would have been.” Lexa confessed.

“You’re going to have to decide which is more important, your ego, or Clarke. Personally, I don’t like her that much, so I’m not saying she’s worth it, but someone someday might be, and I need you to have at least some practice at putting aside your ego for them. Night Lex.” Anya said finishing her diatribe and getting up with a huff.

“Night An.”

  
Lexa picked back up the binoculars and looked at the SkaiPrisa. The lights were on in the stateroom and Lexa picked up the private coms and dialed the number for the SkaiPrisa.

= SkaiPrisa, Heda. Clarke, are you there?=

=I thought you’d never call= Came the melodious and deep voice over the radio frequency.

=Would you like to join me for dinner the day after tomorrow to make travel arrangements=

=I thought I said tomorrow=

=You did. I’m asking for the day after=

=Don’t get use to me making exceptions for you. Wednesday at 7 at the dock=

=See you then=

Lexa took a deep breath in and tried to wrestle with her pride. Lexa began listing things she would need to get the gillnetter tied down to the back deck and where she needed to get them in town. Lexa woke a couple hours later with paper stuck to her face and she decided now that she was up, it was time to get going, there were fish to catch.

 


	2. Chapter Two - Clexa

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Clexa date with a dash of drama. 
> 
> Next chapter we will close up the season and our heroines will finally be able to have some uninterrupted "quality time."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry it has been so long, I work a couple jobs and had been traveling for two weeks and life got the better of me. I intend to post every week or two weeks, so please bear with me and feel free to add suggestions or ask questions.

Lexa twirled her knife against the wood paneling of her bunk.

The Heda had been tied up to the dock for the last thirty minutes. The crew had unloaded all their haul, restocked their supplies from Trina at the office, and Echo and Anya had taken off to get dinner at the cannery's cafeteria before heading to the bar just up the hill. Lexa had waited for them to leave before heading down into the bunk room. She crouched as she lifted the plywood under the thin mattress that was her bunk and pulled out a ziplock bag with her clean clothes. Lexa had learned at a young age to always keep one set of clothes away from the fish. Usually this would be reserved for her return home flight outfit so she wasn't that sailor on the plane that stunk of fish, but this was more important. The clothes weren't fancy, there were a pair of black boyshorts, a plunge cut black bra, and a green v neck shirt that still smelled of downy dryer sheets. Lexa threw the shirt on over a pair of jeans that required a belt to stay up at this point, and then grabbed her ankle cut XtraTuf boots and set the shoes by the stairs to climb back out. 

Lexa still had ten minutes to be out on the dock and so laid in her bunk trying to get her head on right. She took out the dagger and admired the handle. Anya had given it to her at the beginning of their first season on the Heda. The handle was carved with the family totem. Indra had learned some of the Tlingit culture from her grandmother, but Indra and her mother had been put in one of the boarding schools that had stripped their heritage and language as best as the teachers had been able. There was  very little that had survived through the generations. Some of the old recipes had lasted, along with a few special words, but most importantly, their totem. 

Lexa drove the tip of the blade into the wood paneling of her bunk and allowed the anger to pass through her. She needed to focus on the next steps. 

Trina had found Lexa a spot in Kodiak that could hold the Heda and complete the repairs. Kodiak was easy enough to get to as well. Lexa assumed Clarke would be going to Kodiak, the Sound, or maybe even into South East. Any of the destinations would get Lexa where she needed to go. Lexa had ordered the parts for the repairs and everything should be ready to go when she got there. Lexa would need to follow up on the order but anticipated being able to have everything completed in a week. They were pretty late in the season up here and so she figured her best plan would be to complete the repairs and leave the Heda in Kodiak for the Fall and Winter. She would have to catch a ride back up North in the Winter which would be extremely dangerous, but the alternative would be to travel it herself, and that was even more dangerous at that time of year. 

Lexa felt flushed with anger at Nia and forced it to flow through her into the blade.

Lexa was brooding when she heard the light thud of feet landing on aluminum. Someone had boarded her. Lexa felt her heart pick up as she hoped that it was Clarke. She got carried away for a moment and imagined the beautiful blonde filling the narrow portal as she would approach Lexa in her bunk, Clarke would...

A dark object was flying towards Lexa. Lexa rolled in response and swatted the object from the air. It was a pair of black jeans. 

Anya stood in the door way. "Clean pants are the standard for a date, even in Bristol."

"How do you know..."

"What do you mean how do I know, it happened on the radio."

"Either way, it's a business meeting, not a date, Anya."

"I'm not complaining, but we have come into port more times this year than in the past five, and we both know it has been to see Clarke. On top of that, you call her every night or you wait for her to call. I'm pretty sure you have it bad commander."

"IT's A BUSINESS MEETING." Lexa corrected Anya again.

"If it's a  _business meeting_ , why didn't you meet here or at the office, Lex?"

"We're two people meeting to talk about travel arrangements, who happen to be going to eat while we do. It's efficient."

"I didn't realize denial flooded this time of year, you are in over you're head." Anya said in a huff while turning her back on Lexa and preparing to walk back up the few stairs and out to meet the rest. 

"What?"

"Just be careful huh, she's not a cannery worker on one of the islands or a tourist who wants the  _Alaskan Experience."_

Lexa heard Anya's footsteps leave the desk again and she was alone. She held up the pants. Anya must have just bought them for her. They were nothing special, but they were a size smaller that she had come up wearing and would fit her current shape better. Lexa knew that she would gain the weight back in the Fall and that with the insane hours it had been an inevitability to lose weight. Lexa had been trying to make sure she and the crew were eating more, but there was no way to keep up with the calories burned while working. 

Lexa looked at the blade and caught sight of her watch. 

Lexa shot up from her bunk and clipped her head on the short ceiling. 

"Jesus, fuck, ouch!"

That was twice she had hit her head this year. She knew it would leave a bump, but she wasn't disoriented. Lexa cursed herself, it wasn't like she hadn't sat up in this bunk more than a thousand times. 

She slid out of the narrow bunk and let her feet contact the cold floor. Lexa dropped the over sized pants and threw them back in the cargo net hanging at the foot of her bunk. She ripped the tags off the new pants and slid them up. The black jeans weren't just clean, they had that pre-wash fit that made sure they were long enough to hit her where they should before shrinking. She stepped quickly and lightly over to her boots and slid her feet in. She stepped lightly up the stairs, even in the heavy rubber boots. Lexa checked the lines and that there was enough slack for tide to switch before she stepped off the Heda. She took a deep inhale as she looked at her ship and walked away. 

Lexa began walking the wooden maze that eventually led to the harbor entrance. As Lexa took the last turn, she felt the breath physically pulled from her lungs. It was like stepping outside into freezing temperatures when expecting seventy and sunny. Lexa's mind ground to a halt. She felt like the wind had been knocked out of her without the pain. Lexa's feet finally kicked into gear and she watched as Clarke grew clearer and closer like a distant point on the horizon that you hardly believe is there until you are upon it. After about fifty feet, she realized it had been her that was moving and she was almost upon Clark. It took a moment for the signal to stop reached her feet from her brain and she realized she had stopped much further into Clarke's space than intended. 

"Hello."

"Hey."

Lexa took in Clarke as a whole. Clarke was not in work clothing, she had pulled out her town clothes too, but Clarke's town clothes weren't jeans and a tee shirt, with a jacket. Clarke stood in a lengthy women's coat and clean shoes. Lexa could not see what was below the coat yet, but she could see two bare calves. Beautiful, toned, strong, soft calves. Calves that were irresistible. Lexa hadn't known that ankles were ever that sexy, but the small glimpse of seeing Clarke's ankles and lower legs was enough to change her mind forever. 

"I thought we'd head to the Arc. Unless you prefer Grounders? I think our crews both headed there." Clarke got out the the later part of the sentence while running a finger absent minded along the lapel of her coat. 

"That sounds like a good plan." Lexa agreed. 

Lexa thought back on the conversations they had shared this past month and how addicted she had become to Clarke. Lexa knew she had rushed her crew through deck clean up and that she had missed sleep waiting for Clarke to call. Lexa reflected on Anya's words as well, she had made more stops in town and allowed herself and her decisions to be influenced by more than just the weather. She was letting Clarke under her skin. Moreover, she was so transparent about it that Anya had taken notice. 

  
The two women walked up the hill side by side. Lexa felt the briefest brush of Clarke's hand as they reached the top of the hill and joined the gravel road. Something sparked inside her and emotional quagmire receded as quickly as it had come and her mind singled in on the heat source that was Clarke's left hand. Lexa felt pulled to Clarke's hand. She wanted to feel her slim fingers interlace with Clarke's own. She wanted to be joined in that innocent of ways, but they had not left the harbor, and eyes were everywhere. Just as Lexa thought about going for it despite all her instincts screaming not to, a voice carried over the low hum of engines, "evening ladies."

Clarke and Lexa both waived back to the man and nodded his direction while carrying on their way. Lexa recognized the old man as the skipper of the Sandman.

"Dan. Good to see you. How's it treating you?"

"Been heavy from the West. I'm looking forward to the reprieve of North winds the next few days. Should make for smooth travel." Dan said while never dropping his shuttle. His hands moved adeptly around the net's intersections despite the degree of damage to his well worked hands. 

"Here's hoping." Lexa concluded, having never broken her stride. 

The Sandman was one of the old generation of captain. He no longer fished the front line, nor put up big numbers, but he knew the waters and his ship, and supported his crew year after year. Alaska was one of the places in the world where men out numbered women to an extreme, especially in the summer. Being one of the few women on the water, Lexa was usually recognized and she assumed the same went for Clarke. It crossed Lexa's mind that Clarke might stand out for an additional reason. Lexa felt a pang of jealousy, she knew it to be true. Lexa had no claim over Clarke, she had no right to be jealous. She stowed her feelings, they were unjust and unwarranted, and there was no room for them now. 

The two women walked onward in silence for another ten minutes. Lexa was grateful that it hadn't rained the last few days and that the puddles were minimal on the sides of the pressed gravel road. She spent the whole walk with the desire to reach out to Clarke or hoping that Clarke would reach out to her. 

"How has the season been treating you?" Lexa asked, slipping into default conversation. 

"Really? The season?" Clarke said uninterested. "Try again."

"I'm guessing talking about the weather would be just as bad?"

"Possibly worse." Clarke winced. 

Lexa thought for a moment. She and Clarke had talked nearly every evening by VHF, why was this so difficult? There were a thousand things Lexa wanted to know about Clarke, but at the moment her mind seemed unable to identify a single one. She was sinking, and fast. 

"Did you find a home for the spare anchor?"

"Raven named her Evelyn and held an explosive viking funeral to symbolize the failing of her two year relationship that she is finally getting over. Now Evelyn lies at the bottom of the river." Clarke smirked and glimpsed back at Lexa as they continued moving forward. 

Lexa held the door open for Clarke and allowed her to enter into the heated building first. Clarke unbuttoned the front of her coat 

"Um... Did you watch anymore of The 100?" Lexa asked. 

"No, I'm still furious they killed off Alycia Debnam Carey, that was so fucked up."

"I know, it took me a long time to start watching again."

"Really, like what have they left us with as far as Q relationship on TV?"

"There are a few out there. Anya said that Supergirl has a queer couple, but I haven't see it yet."

"No, they break up." 

"Damn, really? Don't tell her that, she'll get all up in arms about it and she'll slack off at work. Maybe I'll just misplace her ipad for the next few days before she leaves. Have you been keeping up with anything?"

"We've been watching the Irwins."

"Like Crocodile Dundee?"

Clarke laughed heartily. "Crocodile Hunter, not Dundee. The family own a zoo and they talk about all the animals and the family. The show brings in a lot of clips of Steve and it led to like a million jokes. Raven talks to the machinery in the engine room like Steve talked about animals and it makes everyone smile, even when everything is tense and we want to kill each other."

Lexa gave Clarke a look begging her to continue. 

"This morning, Raven was trying to tell me she changed out the oil in the sixes and so we were going to be alternating power in about 45 and so she bursts into the galley, bucket and bibs in hand and announces 'sheilas down under were a bit overdue for a drink, but in a right fine condition now. They'd been sizzlin like a skink on the Great Sandy. I'm gonna give em a little pinch and tickle and they'll be running like spring joeys." 

Clarke's Aussie accent seemed flawless to Lexa and she couldn't help but laugh at the story and Clarke's impression of Raven. 

"On the trip up here, we watched so many episodes, Octavia was Raven in the middle of the night and Raven rolled out of her bunk and shouted 'Crikey' on the way down. Octavia swears Raven was having a sex dream and shouted 'Crikey' during, you know." A slight bluched graced Clarke's cheeks and Lexa found herself staring. 

"I'm going to have to drop that in next time I see her." Lexa announced, still laughing. 

"Please do." Clarke said laughing at the possibilities. "Oh my god, I have to show you this video!" Clarke announced. 

Clarke was still laughing lightly and Lexa was enchanted. Clarke pulled out her phone and opened up a video.

The video started with Octavia tying something to the crane's hook on the back deck and booming up til the mystery object sat about 9 feet, just out of reach. Octavia walked towards the camera and the videographer and Octavia hid behind some nets. Narration began with a close up on Octacvia speaking in a terrible Australian accent that sounded more British than anything else, "Welcome everyone, today we're on a mission to capture footage of the elusive Corvus Crocodilus. While crocodiles are the most social reptile species, they merely tolerate others in their space and can come off as hostile. After years of observation, we've come to affectionately call this beaut, Raven. This sheila has been seen wandering in and out of her den the last few days and we're confident we can catch a good look with this bait here." The camera panned out to show the suspended rice krispie treat, suspended from the crane. 

The camera changed hands and Clarke stepped in with full Aussie accent. "I'm going to let our folks at home know a trade secret, although crocs are traditionally carnivorous, the Corvus Crocodilus cannot resists the marshmellowy crunch of perfectly cooked rice krispie treats. Now, we don't want to spook her when she emerges, she can provoke easily and we don't want her retreating into her den. Shhh! Here she comes." The camera focused on Raven ascending the stairs from the engine room and coming out to the back deck. 

Clarke whispered next to the camera, "don't look in her eyes, she'll know she's been seen." Clarke busied herself with something, but the camera remained on Raven. Raven caught sight of the rice krispie treat and walked cautiously towards the crane. She continuously glanced over at Clarke, and Lexa knew Raven sensed a trap. Raven made her way to the crane's controls, searching for loose strings or indicators of where the trap would come from. She hesitantly boomed down until the treat would be within reach and walked slowly over to it, keeping her eyes on Clarke until she stood next to the treat. 

Clarke whispered to the camera again and Octavia got a great shot of Raven moving towards the treat with Clarke narrating in the foreground. "She's a real beaut, let's see if we can get a closer look at those peaks and maybe see if we can entice her into showing us her death roll." There was silence until the moment when Raven shifted her eyes from Clarke to the bait and began to untie the string. The camera indicated that Octavia sprun out from her hiding place and there was a quick shuffle. Within a second, Clarke had tackled Raven into a pile of nets. Octavia was filming and Clarke was shouting, still maintaining her Aussie accent. "Crikey! She's a fiesty one. Cover her eyes to reduce her anxiety!" 

Octavia threw a shirt at Raven's face and Clarke tried to hold it over her eyes. 

Raven was shouting and thrashing around. "Get the fuck off you ass hole! The fuck are you doing!?!?"

"I need you to weigh down her back end so she can't get the jump on us O, mount her, mount her!"

"You bitches are going down like fucking Evelyn! Get the fuck off me." Raven said landing weak hits to Clarke's lower legs as Clarke's knees pressed against Raven's upper arms and took away any source of force. 

Lexa could hear Octavia laughing hysterically as the camera angle dropped and Lexa assumed Octavia had sat on Raven's legs, pinning her into the nets. 

Clarke turned to the camera, "just ride her out, she'll calm down and she'll see we're not a threat." 

"You want threats, I will throw you both overboard when I get up!"

Clarke patronizingly stroked Raven's back, cooing words that might be calming to an animal, but served to infuriate Raven even more. "This powerful beast is just spectacular. Shhh... baby girl, we're just trying to get a nice look." Carke said, landing two pats on Raven's ribs. 

"You bitches. I hate you! Get the fuck off me." Raven shouted, followed by a continuous line of expletives and insults at her friends. 

Clarke started prodding Raven and introducing her various parts for a couple seconds. "Here we see an impressive set of teeth. Once she sinks her teeth into you, she'll never let go. Our Raven here has been spotted taking down water buffalo more than twice her weight. 

"I am going to snap you both like fucking gazelle."

"While many species of Crocs can hold their breath for fifteen to twenty minutes, our sheila here has been known not to emerge from her den for days at a time, protecting her babes. If we can distract her, we might be able to take a look another day."

"If you go anywhere near my babies, I'll make sure you never find your way out of my engine room." Raven threatened. 

Raven had slipped a leg free from under Octavia and was able to find a foot hold on the steel deck. She shifted her weight before making swift movements. 

"Whoa! Here we go, the famed death roll of the Corvus Crocodilus!" Raven bucked Clarke off her back and Octavia rolled backwards over one of the nets but held tight to the camera. Raven got up fuming and shouting louder than she had been. Clarke and Octavia took off running towards the cabin. 

"Thanks for joining us for this adventure and a closer look at the Corvus Crocodilus. We'll see you next time!" Clarke shot a 100 watt smile to the camera as Raven caught up with them and Octavia cut the video. 

Lexa was holding her sides, she was laughing so hard. She could only imagine how pissed Raven had been. 

"We gave her the whole tray of rice krispies to make up for it and she let us keep the video. 

"I would have thrown your phone overboard for that."

"I may have had to bribe Raven with more promises, but she takes it all in good humor." Clarke said still coming down from her laughter. 

 When both women had calmed down from laughing, Lexa restarted the conversation. "Dundee is the one with the knife right?" Lexa tried to clarify. 

Clarke laughed again, "yes, Crocodile Dundee had the big knife and went to New York."

"I remember the first time I saw a city, I think I had the same look on my face that that guy did."

"You remember the first time you saw a city? I grew up in the city so it never seemed that special." Clarke said hoping Lexa would go on. 

"Indra took Anya, Gaia, and I to Seattle to get the seiner repaired at the dry dock for large ships. Everything was so big and so separate."

"Separate?"

"Yea, everyone went from their boxy apartment into an isolated car to a work cube where they talked to no one and hated their lives and then went back into their little cars and back to their homes and even though they were surrounded by people all the time, no one saw each other. Then I started school in Seattle. I was there for six years." Lexa schooled her expression. She had gone on longer than intended with no need to go further. Lexa was happy they had arrived at their destination and she did not have to force a change in subject. 

 

Lexa opened the door for Clarke and stepped back to allow Clarke through first. The Arc was moderately lit and the clientele appeared to be mostly cannery workers from the nearby cannery. Lexa scanned the room out of habit, she did not recognize any faces, and more importantly, the few eyes that looked over to investigate the new comers did not hold recognition. A couple people showed interest, but she banked that was because of herself and her company. She approached the waitress and asked for a seat in a booth towards the back. 

As the two women approached their booth, Clarke began to unbutton the front of her coat. By the time they reached the booth and the menus had been placed on the table in front of them, Clarke was beginning to slide the coat from her shoulders. Lexa moved by instinct and began to slide the coat gently down the length of Clarke's arms and lifted the weight from her. Lexa placed the coat on the hook attached to the side of the booth and removed her own jacket. She felt under dressed and was very thankful that Anya had purchased her pants that fit. 

Clarke wore a stunning navy sheath line dress with silver threads that caught the light and Lexa's eye. The flittering lights chased across silver threads that moved with the soft curves of Clarke's body like the dolphins in a wake. Lexa felt the joy of the dolphins immersed in their graceful and playful dance and wanted to chase the shimmering lights around the dress. Every movement was accentuated by the dance and Lexa realized she had been staring inappropriately when the lights disappeared underneath the table top. Lexa sat swiftly and attempted to recover by returning to her stoic facade. 

Once seated, Lexa picked up the menu and disappeared momentarily behind the moderately sized black book. Lexa calmed her breathing. She thought of Indra's stories of the sirens. In that moment, Lexa thought Clarke might be her own personal siren, she understood how a skipper could drive head on into ruin in pursuit of the dream of Clarke. Clarke was dangerous. Was Lexa heading into the shallows? Into a reef? Was she going to run aground while staring right at the danger? Lexa had more to think of than this woman in front of her. 

Lexa prepared to sort out payment and travel arrangements and brought her mental agenda to the forefront of her mind. 

"Do you know what you want?" The waitress' voice cut across the dull music. 

"Yes, I do, do you Lexa?"

"Go ahead."

"I'll have the burger please, but no tomatoes or pickles please." Clarke smiled and handed her folded menu to the waitress. 

"You don't like pickles? Pickles are great." Lexa look scandalized. 

Clarke corrected to the waitress, "and the pickle on the side if you would please, thank you."

The waitress gave a soft smile and nodded while she made a note and turned to Lexa. 

Lexa could see the cliffs and jetting rocks that would surely take her down, ship and all, but she kept her bearing and smirked at Clarke's thoughtfulness. "I'd like the steak and veggies with a side salad."

"You're not even going to get fries?" It was Clarke's turn to look scandalized. 

Lexa looked at the waitress and amended her order. "A side order of rosemary sweet potato fries."

The waitress gave the couple a smile and left to place the order. 

"I can't eat that much rich food off the boat, my stomach cannot adjust to such a meal."

"Well, I don't think I can tease you about that." Clarke said while she smiled that Lexa had added the fries. 

"It is an adjustment and takes some time to get back to a normal diet and functioning." Lexa stated. 

Clarke gave Lexa a look that felt like it carried more weight than needed for a simple questions. "Why do you go back to the city in the off season if you would rather stay up here?"

Lexa studied the look for a moment before she let the question ring through her mind. "My brother."

"I thought it was just you and Anya. Well, and Echo and Indra and Gaia, of course."

"It is. He lives with my parents down South. They live in San Francisco together. I lived there when I was very young, and spent summers up here on the boat as soon as I could walk. Indra couldn't take me full time because, well, because she couldn't. My parents were... we... it was better with Anya, Gaia, and Indra. Aden lives with them. My father wanted a son and refuses to let Aden come up here, so during the Fall and Winter, I stay down there. That's why I went to college down there."

Clarke could feel Lexa slipping, she had opened up past her comfort zone and Clarke knew she was going to close herself back off. 

"Does Aden look like you?"

"No, actually, he probably looks more like you than me. He has blond hair, blue eyes, and a smile that makes the moon jealous." Lexa had said it in a sentence about Aden, but it was clear it was meant for Clarke. 

Clarke blushed at the off the cuff compliment. 

"Do you have siblings Klark?"

"I have the two idiots on board, but that's it. My mom is back East and growing up I had my dad, but we have always been the three musketeers."

The two women continued talking for another couple hours, with waitress only interrupting to refill their glasses and to bring Clarke's choice of desert, a hot lava brownie. Lexa enjoyed the chocolate fudge and indulged more than she had intended. She knew her stomach would revolt against her tomorrow and provide an added discomfort to work that was at best described as intolerable. 

After another hour of talking, Lexa saw the beginning of sleep creep across Clarke's face. She was still intently listening, but Lexa saw Clarke's eyelids linger a fraction too long and that betrayed her. Lexa knew her own body could use the rest as well. There would only be a couple days left of fishing and she wanted to close out the season as strongly as possible. 

"Shall we?" Lexa prompted, as she took a last sip of her drink and made to exit the booth. 

Clarke moved parallel to her, but before she could reach for her coat, Lexa had grabbed it and held it open at Clarke's shoulder height. Clarke slipped into the coat and Lexa allowed her hands to smooth the fabric along Clarke's upper arms. The two women made their way to the door in silence and while Lexa once again opened the heavy door, she let her hand fall on Clarke's lower back in escort. Lexa felt the subtle shift in Clarke's posture to her touch and refused to break contact. 

Lexa wished that the damn sun would set, that the veil of darkness could create room for her to take Clarke's hand or for her hand to remain attached to Clarke's lower back, but it was an Alaskan summer, and the sun never breached the horizon, merely kissed it and began to rise once again. Lexa allowed her hand to drop and her to take her place side by side with Clarke. Before they could take more than a step out of the door, a figure halted aggressively in front of Lexa. Lexa raked her eyes over the figure that was attempting to intimidate her and met her gaze with a cold fire. The figure stood with the air that she felt entitled to her path and Lexa was an inconvenience that should remove itself without further hindrance to her. 

The woman in front of them stood a couple inches higher than Lexa with a rigid posture and a nose that she angled slightly too high, forcing her to look down the length of her nose to look at Lexa in an attempt to be superior. 

"Alexandria. You are looking thin. Have the fish been elusive this season?"

"Nia. It appears you have had the luxury of indulgence. Perhaps you have had too much time on your hands. Do you need me to show you where the fish have been hiding from you?" Lexa said back with without missing a beat.

"On the contrary, my dear, my crew has significantly improved since we removed some dead weight. Perhaps you have scavenged what we cut loose aboard your  _flodonskrish?_ I heard that no yard would even keep you this year."

"How fortunate it has been that the Heda was able to find better accommodations to free up the four repairmen you retained. Perhaps one of them might be able to correct your faulty sonar."

 _" Yu don jak eting op kom ai"_ Nia cracked, raising her voice towards the younger woman. 

 

 _"Osir gonplei ste odon, Nia"_ Lexa said, keeping her composure. 

"Branwada yongon, _o_ _sir gonplei nou ste odon. Jus drein, jus daun."_ Nia nearly spat at Lexa as she ran her index finger over elevated scars that framed her left eye. Nia made a glance towards Clarke before smirking at Lexa.

" _Jomp en op en yu jomp ai op."_ Lexa said fiercely and she took a step towards Nia and in front of Clarke. 

 

" _D_ _aunde ste kwelen_ _, laik yu, strik gada._  Still a coward." Nia antagonized Lexa.

 _"Ai laik Heda, no na throu daun gon ai."_ Lexa confronted the challenge. 

"Hodness laik kwelness." Nia smiled sinisterly at Lexa's small break and saw that Clarke was a way in. 

" _B_ _ilaik yu don tel ai op otaim"_ Lexa said back while not giving an inch. " _Pleni."_

 _" Stedaunon don gon we; kikon ste enti. Nou pleni."_  

 _"Daun ste pleni!"_ Lexa commanded with finality. 

Nia schooled her features, "nodotaim, yougon."

Nia moved past Lexa, knocking into her forcefully with her shoulder and lifting a hand to lightly twiddle her fingers. "Caution your company, Miss Griffin." Nia disappeared behind the restaurant doors and the crowd that had been clearly eavesdropping scurried away in fear. 

 

Lexa was fuming, but Clarke took a few measured steps forward and Lexa fell in line. After a couple minutes, Clarke forced the conversation to start.

"What happened back there?" Clarke asked, trying to be gentle in breaking the ice, but knowing she was going to have to push slightly. 

"Nia and I have conflict. I'm sorry you had to see that."

"Lexa, I didn't understand most of what was actually said, but I know she threatened me. You can't just explain it away by saying 'we have conflict'."

Lexa took a breath. Clarke was right. "I don't want to get into the messy details, it's a long story for another time, but Nia blames me for the loss of her son. There has been loss on both sides and she is dangerous Clarke. I will not let any harm come to you."

Clarke looked at Lexa for a deep moment. It seemed out of another world that there would be a blood feud in modern day, where people openly threatened one another and their company, where there might actually be harm involved. Clarke couldn't wrap her mind around it and decided that she needed more information. 

"Is this really some hatfield and Mccoys shit?"

"We are who we are Klark, but you and I are here now and that is enough for me in this moment."

Lexa began spiraling in her mind, searching for any way to get their evening back on track. Any way to forget the past couple minutes. She cursed Nia in her head over and over. 

 

"What is flodonskrish?" Clarke asked.

Lexa was relieved that Clarke pulled that of all things to ask about and chuckled. "she was calling the Heda a piece of shit boat."

As they both chuckles, the tension in the air released and they were able to table the roller coaster they both just rode unexpectedly. Clarke briefly reached out and squeezed Lexa's hand for a pulse before returning to her sides. It was enough for Lexa to feel the warmth permeate her distal limb and for her to feel the spark of Clarke's touch just briefly before it was gone and she went into withdrawals. 

"What language was that?" Clarke continued. 

"Nia speaks the language of the North as well as the language of the Tree People. You heard Trigedasleng. It is what I am most familiar with, though we spoke the Northern language aboard the Azgeda."

"How many languages do you speak?"

And just like that, they were back on track for their evening. 

Lexa set a steady return pace to the dock and Clarke kept up. The two women stole silent glances at one another along the walk back to the dock. Lexa could feel her anticipation build. Would Clarke come with her to the Heda? Would Clarke invite her to the SkaiPrisa? Was Lexa too far ahead of herself? Lexa's mind was swirling again, it wasn't the night. 

Lexa's mind swam with possibilities until Titus' voice interrupted her thoughts. "She is a distraction. She is clouding your judgement." "She puts you at risk my Heda." Lexa tried to exile Titus' words from her mind. Lexa had a plan, she did not need to really discus the details with Clarke to know the steps necessary for her to prepare the Heda for the trip and what would be needed for the trip. She saw the flash of the Heda crashing against the rocks in a storm and Titus' words echoed once more. "The siren calls."

Lexa realized they had reached the hill that would take them to the docks and that both she and Clarke had come to a pause. The Skai Prisa was docked at the pier, while the Heda was at the small boat harbor. It was now or never. Lexa turned to face Clarke straight on, she could see the cliffs, she would hear the siren song pulling her in, and she decided to chance everything.

"Clarke, would you like to-"

"Commander!" A drunken voice came out from across the cannery compound. 

"Did you come for midnight dinner too? We just ate." Echo stated. 

Bellamy and Echo came into sharp relief. 

"No." Lexa commanded. "We are walking Captain Griffin back to the Skai Prisa and then setting out. Echo you have an hour to sober up before we leave. Go and get Anya."

Bellamy interjected himself into the conversations, "since you has to go find your crew, why don't I walks Clarke backs to the SPrisa. I'm that way." Bellamy slurred slightly, but got all the words out. 

Lexa filled with anger towards Bellamy and wanted to challenge him there, for Clarke, for Echo, for herself. The rage from her encounter with Nia came flooding back and attached itself to Bellamy. Lexa chided herself. She had no claim over Clarke if Clarke chose Bellamy. She could however protect her crew. Echo staggered a step and Lexa knew what she had to do. She had to let release Clarke. Lexa looked at Clarke one last time before making sure that Clarke had seen Echo stumble. Lexa said softly and indicated her head towards Echo, "I have to..."

Clarke addressed Bellamy loud enough for the group to be privy to the conversation. "Bellamy, that is generous, but I have not finished my travel negotiations with Lexa and will not travel unprepared. Thank you for the offer though."

Bellamy looked at Clarke in surprise and it was clear he had consumed about the same amount of alcohol as Echo. He turned to Lexa without his usual mask and gave an openly hostile look. He walked towards Lexa and slumped Echo's arm off his shoulders and onto Lexa's. "Neither will chose you over me in the end. Neither will chose to stay here with you." He had intended to say the last bit as a secret, between he and Lexa, but he could not control his volume and ended up more shouting at her than anything else. 

This was not Lexa's night. Every time something went right, Nia or Bellamy, or Echo mucked it up. 

Bellamy walked past Clarke next and said in a regular volume "see you all on the water, have a good night." Bellamy winked and blew her a kiss before semi-stumbling away. 

 

Lexa supported Echo's weight. "Clarke, I need to get her to the ship, but then I can take you to the Skai Prisa."

"Let's take care of Echo first." Clarke slid her body on the other side of Echo's and created a balanced carry. Lexa smiled at Clarke as they made their way down the dusty packed dirt decline to the mossy docks. They carefully maneuvered Echo over the rails and down into the bow. Lea stripped Echo's boots and helped her into her sardine can sized bed. As Lexa moved to pull up the blanket, she realized that Echo's pant leg had blood on it. Lexa rolled her Echo's pant leg up and realized there was a sizable laceration on her leg. "What the fuck Echo?"

Lexa shook Echo's shoulders trying to get a coherent answer from Echo, but Echo had resigned herself to sleep already. 

"Echo, Echo, what happened?" Lexa shouted at the deck hand.

"What, I'm trying to sleep. You said I had an hour, and I'm exhausted."

"What happened to your leg?" Lexa demanded. 

Clarke leaned in closely and used her hand to wipe away some of the blood. "It doesn't look bad Lexa. I can clean her up before I go."

Lexa was fuming and already at the base of the stairs before Clarke could say anything further. 

 

Lexa picked up the VHF.

=Blake, what the fuck happened!=

Lexa waited for a response. She was working herself up by the second and thought about chasing Bellamy down and beating the story out of him. 

Finally a voice came back over the radio. 

=Skai Prisa back=

Lexa assumed one of the Skai Prisa crew must be looking for Clarke. 

= Skai Prisa, Heda.=

=What's up= 

Lexa knew the voice didn't belong to Raven, she'd gotten Octavia. 

=What do you need Octavia? Do you need Clarke?=

=No, I was returning a call. Did you not call for me?=

+No- Lexa responded. When she looked up, Clarke stood staring at her. 

"Do you know Octavia's last name?"

It dawned on Lexa, the dark brown hair, same stern look, goofy shared smiles. 

Lexa said the single name again, this time with the understanding of what had happened. Half questions, half statement, "Blake."

"Yep." Replied Clarke as she took the controller from Lexa's stilled hand. "Go and get your medical kit so I can clean Echo up."

=Hey O. Julius Ceasar = Lexa heard Clarke say and then the radio clicked three times. =Got me O?= Clarke rang out again. 

=Hey captain=

=Do you know what happened tonight at grounders?=

Octavia explained calmly that Ontari and other members of their group had come into grounders tonight and that the conversation had started trash talking Lexa when Ontari realized that Echo and Anya were at the bar. There had been a fight, and Octavia, Raven, Bellamy, and Lincoln had backed Anya and Echo in the fight. Octavia explained that it had gotten pretty rough and that Ontari had targeted Echo right from the start. Apparently Bellamy had stepped in and defended her at the expense of his hand, but Octavia said he would be fine. They had all left the bar a couple hours ago and she reported that Bellamy and Echo had gone to the cafeteria for midnight dinner to sober up while she and Lincoln had walked to the dock with Anya and Raven. 

=Thank you O. I will see you shortly=

 

Clarke walked down into the bow to meet Lexa. Lexa sat by Echo's side with the medical kit in her lap. "It's not just the leg." Lexa lifted the side of Echo's shirt revealing bruised ribs. 

Clarke moved into position and Lexa naturally moved to accommodate Clarke's space. 

Clarke cleaned Echo's leg and taped a gauze down over the last open wound. Everything had stopped bleeding and the leg would heal well. Clarke gently looked over the rest of what she could and determined that Echo would be fine until morning and that Clarke would reevaluate her then. Lexa filled with rage at Nia, Roan, Ontari, all of them. She began concocting plans for justice. 

"Lexa."

"Lexa" Clarke tried again.

Lexa looked away from Echo and up to meet Clarke's eyes. Lexa knew she couldn't hide the pain she was feeling so she tried to mask it with the anger, but she couldn't hide. 

"I know you're hurting for Echo. I know you care for her. You can't go marching out for revenge."

"Justice, Clarke, I will have justice."

"You don't want justice right now. Right now you want them to feel pain. Stay with Echo instead. Stay with me. Anya is safe, everyone is safe tonight."

"I can't just sit. They attacked my crew, they threatened you. I can't lay here and pretend it didn't happen."

"Echo and I need you right now. You need to be here for her when she wakes up and I need you tonight. Justice will wait until tomorrow."

Clarke spotted quickly which bunk was Lexa's and sat down in it before laying out with her back to the wood paneling. She had taken the long side of the bunk allowing her to stretch out without hitting her head or feet at either end. She looked at Lexa with compassion and need. Lexa looked back at Clarke, laying in her bunk in the most beautiful dress created, a siren was calling her to bed. This is the way she had dreamed of the evening going, but twisted fate had poisoned the context. She knew she could not refuse Clarke and knew she would not be leaving Echo tonight. Anya, Raven, Octavia, and Lincoln were also safe, and it was best for Clarke to be close anyways so Lexa would not have to worry about her all night. 

Lexa dug out two changes of clothes. "I'm sorry they are not cleaner, it's the end of season you know."

"Thank you Lexa, these are perfect." Clarke held up the college sweats and a well worn NASA hoodie that Lexa had passed over to her. Lexa grabbed her own change of clothes and turned her back to Clarke to change. She had already seen much of Clarke's body and Clarke had seen most of hers, but in this moment, Lexa wanted Clarke to feel safe. Lexa pulled on a pair of Grey's Anatomy sweats and stripped down to just her under shit for the evening and waited to hear Clarke shuffling back into the bunk before she turned around, even though the quarters were microscopic. 

Clarke asked again. "Will you stay with me tonight?" The last of Lexa's anger was put on hold at that and she allowed herself to fall into Clarke, for Clarke to hold all the things she could not at the moment without her having to say anymore. 

"Only if you tell me what Julius Caesar means."

"Julius Cesar is famous for the Cesar cipher."

"It's a code to add three to the channel?"

"Yes. Obviously it's not a complex system, but it works for us and it keeps our conversations private enough. We might have to change it up now that everyone is getting to know our secret." Clarke laughed and gave Lexa a playful nudge. "Think there is room enough in that ridiculously small bunk for two?"

 Lexa climbed in behind Clarke and wrapped herself around as much of Clarke as she could hang onto. Clarke pushed back into her and pulled Lexa's arm around her waist before kissing the top of Lexa's hand and settling in for a couple hours of sleep. 

Lexa looked again at Echo and worried. 

As if on cue, Clarke reassured, "she is going to be okay. We are all okay tonight."

Lexa took a deep inhale and smelled the floral notes of Clarke's hair, jasmine and cashmere. She picked up again on the smell of carbon. 

"Clarke," Lexa started tentatively. She didn't want to be insulting, especially considering the night they'd had so far. "You smell amazing, like cashmere and jasmine, but also like charcoal too. Why?"

Clarke yawned and pressed back against Lexa once again, eyes closed. 

"I draw and sometimes."

Lexa thought through the comment and imagined Clarke laying in her bunk in low light with a pencil tucked behind her ear and gray black smudges on her hands moving deftly over parchment. Lexa allowed a slight smile to sit on her lips, knowing that no one could see as she nuzzled her forehead against Clarke's hair covered ear and laid her cheek to rest. 

"What do you like to draw?" Lexa asked as she felt her thoughts getting more distant. 

Clarke spoke softly as she felt Lexa's body relax gradually behind her. 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Flodonskrish  
> Crappy Boat
> 
> Yu don jak eting op kom ai"  
> You took everything from me
> 
> "Osir gonplei ste odon, Nia"  
> Our fight is over, Nia. 
> 
> "Branwada yongon, osir gonplei nou ste odon. Jus drein, jus daun."  
> Foolish child, our fight is never over. Blood must have blood. 
> 
> "Jomp en op en yu jomp ai op."  
> Attack her and you attack me. 
> 
> "Daunde ste kwelen, laik yu, strik gada."  
> That one is weak like you, little girl. 
> 
> "Ai laik Heda, no na throu daun gon ai."  
> I am Heda, no one fights for me. 
> 
> "Hodness laik kwelness."  
> Love is weakness. 
> 
> "Bilaik yu don tel ai op otaim"  
> Like you have always told me
> 
> " Stedaunon don gon we; kikon ste enti."  
> The dead are gone and the living are hungry. 
> 
> "Daun ste pleni!"  
> That is enough!
> 
> "nodotaim, yongon."  
> Another time, child.

**Author's Note:**

> Hey all, welcome to the end of chapter one and Welcome to Bristol Bay! Next chapter will include a Clexa date and then taking a trip around the Alaskan Peninsula. 
> 
> Here are a couple links to give people an idea of what the Heda and the SkaiPrisa look like. 
> 
> Gilnetter: https://www.northriverboats.com/commercial-government/bristolbaygillnetter/  
> Tender: https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/photo/fishing-boats-pull-along-side-a-tender-to-high-res-stock-photography/528250454 or https://www.adn.com/resizer/44pokS83Tx5DMhI49ZC6ZEVcjH4=/999x666/s3.amazonaws.com/arc-wordpress-client-uploads/adn/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/12200017/Destination-03.jpg
> 
> Bristol Bay: http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/static/fishing/images/commercial/salmon/sc_bbay.gif


End file.
